Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

The Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, (Ctenosaura similis) is a lizard native to Mexico and Central America that has been introduced to the United States in the state of Florida. It is the largest species in the genus Ctenosaura and has been recorded as the fastest running lizard on earth.

The Black Spiny-tailed Iguana is native to Central America, and has the widest range of all Ctenosaura species from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to northeastern Nicaragua and western Panama on the respective Atlantic and Pacific coasts. It is commonly found throughout Costa Rica, Honduras and has been reported in Colombia.

Mating generally occurs in the spring. Males show dominance and interest by head bobbing; eventually the male will chase 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 30 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.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctenosaura_similis – 20.09.2011