Ctenosaura acanthura

Ctenosaura acanthura, is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. The species is native to eastern Mexico and extreme western Guatemala. The standardized English name is the Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (Spanish: el garrobo del noreste).Liner, E.A.; Casas-Andreu, G. (2008). "Standard Spanish, English and scientific names of the amphibians and reptiles of Mexico". Society for the Study Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 38: i–iv, 1–162.Lemos-Espinal, J.A. (editor) (2015). Amphibians and Reptiles of the US-Mexican Border States. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. x + 614 pp. Confusingly however, an earlier edition of standardized names for Mexican herpetofauna called C. acanthura the and applied the name to Ctenosaura pectinata,Liner, E.A. (1994). "Scientific and common names for the amphibians and reptiles of Mexico in English and Spanish". Society for the Study Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 23: iii + 113 pp. which was called the western spiny-tailed iguana in the second edition. It has also been referred to as the Veracruz spiny-tailed iguana and Gulf Coast spiny-tailed iguana. It is an egg laying species that is mostly herbivorous and a moderately large lizard commonly growing over one meter (3.3 feet) in total length (tail included).Köhler, G. (2008). Reptiles of Central America, 2nd Edition. Offenbach, Germany: Herpeton, Verlag Elke Köhler. 400 pp. .

Taxonomy and etymology Ctenosaura acanthura was first described by British zoologist George Shaw in 1802 as Lacerta acanthura. The generic name, Ctenosaura, is derived from two Greek words: ctenos (Κτενός), meaning "comb" (referring to the comblike spines on the lizard's back and tail), and saura (σαύρα), meaning "lizard". Its specific name is from the Greek word akanthos (Ἄκανθος), meaning "thorn".

Description Ctenosaura acanthura has distinctive keeled scales on its long tail, to which its several common names refer. Males are capable of growing up to in total length (tail included), and females slightly shorter at . It has a crest of long spines which extends down the center of the back. Its base color is black, with white or cream-colored markings.

C. acanthura is often confused with the closely related and similar appearing black iguana (Ctenosaura similis); however, Ctenosaura acanthura does not occur in the Mexican states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, Quintana Roo, or in Belize (Yucatan Peninsula).Köhler, G. (2002). Schwarzleguane: Lebensweise, Pflege, Zucht. Offenbach, Germany: Herpeton, Verlag Elke Köhler. 142 pp. Scales of the tail whorls on C. acanthura are very thorny (angle of the keels over 30 degrees), and the crest of large spines on the back is interrupted in the pelvic area, forming a break between the crest of large spines on the tail. On C. similis, the crest of large spines on the back is uninterrupted and continuous with the large spines on the tail.

Behavior

Ctenosaura acanthura is an excellent climber and prefers a rocky habitat with plenty of crevices to hide in, rocks to bask on, and nearby trees to climb. It is diurnal and fast moving, employing its speed to escape predators but will lash its tail and bite if cornered. This species may commonly be found around areas of human habitation.

Diet Ctenosaura acanthura is primarily herbivorous, eating flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit, but it will opportunistically eat smaller animals, eggs, and arthropods. Juveniles tend to be insectivores, becoming more herbivorous as they get older.

Geographic distribution

Ctenosaura acanthura occurs in the lowlands on the eastern versant of Mexico throughout the Veracruz moist forests ecoregion and western portions of the Petén–Veracruz moist forests, from sea level up to ca. 1,000 meters (ca. 3,300 feet) elevation. It is known from the Mexican state of Tamaulipas in the general vicinity of the Tropic of Cancer, southward throughout most of Veracruz, with a few records from lower elevation localities in adjacent areas of extreme eastern San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo, Pueblea, and Oaxaca. Southward, an apparently isolated population occurs in central Chiapas, in the Rio Grijalva valley, with a record extending the range into extreme western Guatemala.

The status of six specimens collected near the town of Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León by Hobart M. Smith in 1934 is questionable, and C. acanthura has not been reported from Nuevo León before or after 1934. The presence of C. acanthura in Nuevo León is doubtful, and the collector (Hobart M. Smith) did not include the species in his checklist for the state of Nuevo León in later years.Lemos-Espinal, Julio A.; Wylie, Daniel B.; Smith, Geoffrey R. (2017). "New distributional records for reptiles from Nuevo León, Mexico". Herpetology Notes 10: 639–641.Smith, H.M.; Taylor, E.H. (1966). Herpetology of Mexico: Annotated Checklist and Keys to the Amphibians and Reptiles. A reprint of Bulletins 187, 194 and 199 of the U. S. Nat. Mus. with a list of subsequent taxonomic innovations. Ashton, Maryland: Eric Lundberg.

Reproduction

Mating of Ctenosaura acanthura generally occurs in the spring. A male shows dominance and interest by head bobbing, eventually chasing the female until he can catch her and subdue her. Within eight to ten weeks, the female will dig a nest and lay clutches of up to 24 eggs. The eggs hatch in 90 days, with the hatchlings digging their way out of the sand. These juveniles are typically green with brown markings, although all-brown hatchlings have been recorded as well.

References

Ctenosaura acanthura

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