Barrons AV7209 Green iguana Hand Book

The green iguana is one of the best-known reptiles due to its popularity in zoos and with private reptile keepers (3). It has a very distinctive appearance, with a large head, a pronounced dewlap, and an impressive crest of comb-like spines that runs down the centre of the back and tail (3) (5), measuring around three centimetres high (2). While, like its name suggests, this iguana is usually a shade of green, (from dull, grassy green to vivid turquoise), bright orange individuals may occur in the northern parts of its range (3), and the colour may also vary with temperature, particularly when young, being bright green when hot and dull and dark when cold (2). The green iguana’s scaly skin is either uniformly coloured, or bears blackish stripes or a contrasting brownish pattern (3). Prominent large, circular scales are present on the lower jaw below the clearly visible tympanum. Male green iguanas can be distinguished from females by the more pronounced spiny crest and larger head (5), the more noticeable femoral pores (2), and the broader cloaca opening (6).