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Ctenosaura... |
Found in the Rio Aguan Valley and on Hog Island (Isla de Cayos Cochinos) Honduras, C. melanosterna is a real oddity within the Ctenosaura genus. This is a large bodied iguana in which males can attain
90 cm ( 35 ½ inches) and females 68 cm ( 26 ¾ inches). With
a typical ctenosaura like body, this species has a large green
iguana-like dewlap, and a massive appearing cyclura-like head. Both males
and females have dewlaps with the males dewlap being much larger. The
dorsal scales are very large and long and tend to fall to one side because
of their weight. The coloring of the upperparts of C. melanosterna’s
body tends be black or dark brown with the lower body and tail being aqua,
or turquoise. The head and dewlap tend to be yellow or tan. The eyes are
orange. The degree of color varies from lizard. An interesting intraspecific
display by C. melanosterna is a head bob in a twisting motion
only seen in Cyclura species. The population on the moist tropical
Isla Cayos Cochinos may be a recent introduction or recent range expansion.
The mainland forest habitat of this species in the Rio Aguan River Valley
is very hot and dry. C. melanosterna tends to be more arboreal
than most ctenosaura species and is primarily a herbivore and
an opportunistic small prey carnivore.
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Rio
Aguan Valley Iguana
