---
title: "What the sources say about the Green Iguana | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "41 claims from the Green Iguana profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/green-iguana/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Green Iguana (*Iguana iguana*)

> 41 claims from the Green Iguana profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Green Iguana](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/green-iguana/)

## Bock et al. (2022). Iguana iguana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T174481A218317281.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2022-2.rlts.t174481a218317281.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). (note: GBIF copy of the Red List, taxon 174481) |

## Iguana iguana (common green iguana). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Iguana_iguana/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A tree-top lizard with a light sensor on top of its skull that meters the sun and spots predator shadows from above. | Green Iguanas are arboreal lizards that live high in the tree canopy. ... On the dorsal midline of the skull behind the eyes is a parietal eye. This sense organ, although not a true "eye," serves as a meter for solar energy ... The visual effect of this "eye" is mostly limited to the detection of predatory shadows from above. (note: tagline; shadows claim below) |
| Trees near water in Central and South America, from Mexico south to Paraguay and southeast Brazil; introduced to southern Florida and Hawaii | occur throughout Central and South America, from Sinaloa and Veracruz, Mexico, south to the Tropic of Capricorn in Paraguay and southeast Brazil. ... and has been introduced into southern Florida and in Hawaii. (note: stats.habitat) |
| Trees near water | they prefer to have water around as they are excellent swimmers (note: stats.habitat) |
| Mostly leaves, flowers and fruit; the young also eat some insects and eggs | Green iguanas are primarily herbivorous. ... Green leafy plants or ripe fruits are their preferred foods. (note: stats.diet; flowers and young below) |
| flowers | Plant Foods leaves fruit flowers (note: stats.diet) |
| the young also eat some insects and eggs | The young, with higher need for protein, are more likely to consume insects and eggs than are mature individuals. (note: stats.diet) |
| Sheds its tail to escape and dives from overhanging branches into water | Iguanas prefer to bask in tree limbs that over-hang water so when threatened by a predator they can dive into the water and swim swiftly away. In addition to these strategies for avoiding predation, green iguanas are able to shed a large portion of their tail (note: stats.superpower) |
| Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) live high in the tree canopy | Green Iguanas are arboreal lizards that live high in the tree canopy. |
| hawks and other large birds are potential predators of the young | Hawks and other large birds are potential predators of juvenile iguanas. |
| There sits a parietal eye. It is not a true eye. It serves as a meter for solar energy. | On the dorsal midline of the skull behind the eyes is a parietal eye. This sense organ, although not a true "eye," serves as a meter for solar energy |
| The visual effect of the parietal eye is mostly limited to the detection of predatory shadows from above. | The visual effect of this "eye" is mostly limited to the detection of predatory shadows from above. |
| Their colouring matches so much of the green around them that an iguana can stay still when it spots a predator and go unnoticed. | Because they look like so much of their green environment, they can remain immobile when a predator has been spotted, and go unnoticed themselves. |
| In the morning, when body temperature is low, skin is darker and helps the lizard absorb heat. | In the morning, while body temperature is low, skin color will be darker, helping the lizard to absorb heat from sunlight. |
| At hot midday the skin turns paler and helps reflect the sun's rays. | as the hot mid-day sun radiates upon them, these animals become lighter or paler, helping to reflect the sun rays and minimizing the heat absorbed |
| Within three years, a young 12 gram hatchling can become a 1 kg adult. | Within three years, a young, 12 gram hatchling iguana can become a 1 kg adult |
| Some in South America can reach up to 8 kg with a proper diet. | but some in South America, with proper diet can reach up to 8 kg. |
| Head to tail they can reach around 2 m. | These large lizards can reach head to tail lengths of around 2 m. |
| The native range runs from Sinaloa and Veracruz in Mexico south to the Tropic of Capricorn in Paraguay and southeast Brazil. They have also been introduced into southern Florida and Hawaii. | from Sinaloa and Veracruz, Mexico, south to the Tropic of Capricorn in Paraguay and southeast Brazil. ... and has been introduced into southern Florida and in Hawaii. |
| Iguanas prefer to bask on tree limbs that overhang water, so when a predator threatens they can dive in and swim swiftly away. | Iguanas prefer to bask in tree limbs that over-hang water so when threatened by a predator they can dive into the water and swim swiftly away. |
| If they are caught, they can shed a large portion of the tail. A new one regrows within a year, though not to the length it was before. | If caught, twisting and rotating around or tail whipping may occur. Like many other lizards, iguanas can autotomatize, or drop of part of their tail. ... A new tail will sprout from the autotomatized spot and regrow with in a year, though not to the length it was before. |
| Green iguanas are primarily herbivorous, and green leafy plants or ripe fruits are their preferred foods. | Green iguanas are primarily herbivorous. ... Green leafy plants or ripe fruits are their preferred foods. |
| They bite off small pieces to swallow, with little or no chewing. | Green iguanas use their tongues to help manipulate the food and bite small enough pieces to swallow, with little or no chewing. |
| Most digestion happens in the sacculated colon, where microflora (gut microbes) break down the cellulose. | Most digestion occurs in the sacculated colon, where microflora break down the cellulose (note: (gut microbes) is a gloss on microflora) |
| Hatchlings are inclined to eat feces from adults, which may be an adaptation for acquiring this much needed microflora. | Hatchling iguanas are inclined to eat feces from adults, which may be an adaptation for acquiring this much need microflora. |
| Young iguanas have a higher need for protein and are more likely to eat insects and eggs than adults are. | The young, with higher need for protein, are more likely to consume insects and eggs than are mature individuals. |
| Basking is an important aid to digestion. | Basking is an important aid to digestion. |
| Animal Diversity Web says they can reach about 2 m from head to tail, and some in South America reach up to 8 kg on a proper diet. | but some in South America, with proper diet can reach up to 8 kg. These large lizards can reach head to tail lengths of around 2 m. (note: FAQ; 'Long and, when well fed, heavy' is voice) |
| There is a parietal eye on top of the skull, behind the normal ones. Animal Diversity Web says it is not a true eye, and that it mostly picks up the shadows of predators above it. | On the dorsal midline of the skull behind the eyes is a parietal eye. This sense organ, although not a true "eye," ... The visual effect of this "eye" is mostly limited to the detection of predatory shadows from above. (note: FAQ) |
| Twelve grams to a kilogram in three years | Within three years, a young, 12 gram hatchling iguana can become a 1 kg adult (note: heading) |
| Look at the top of an iguana's head, behind its ordinary eyes. | On the dorsal midline of the skull behind the eyes is a parietal eye. |
| Their colour can shift with the day. | Such color alteration may aide these animals in thermoregulation. In the morning, while body temperature is low, skin color will be darker |
| A leaf eater that runs on gut microbes | Microflora are essential for hind-gut digestion of the hard to digest diet of this species. (note: heading) |
| A green iguana's parietal eye, on top of its skull, mostly picks up the shadows of predators from above | On the dorsal midline of the skull behind the eyes is a parietal eye. ... The visual effect of this "eye" is mostly limited to the detection of predatory shadows from above. |

## AnAge entry for Iguana iguana. AnAge, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Iguana_iguana

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| AnAge lists a maximum longevity of 19.8 years in captivity. | Maximum longevity 19.8 years (captivity) |
| The record in the AnAge ageing database is 19.8 years, set by a captive animal. | Maximum longevity 19.8 years (captivity) (note: FAQ) |
| The AnAge database puts the average adult at 1,530 g. | Life history traits (averages) Female sexual maturity 1,640 days Male sexual maturity 1,640 days Adult weight 1,530 g (note: replaces ADW 'most mature 4 to 6 kg' (current AnAge page wins)) |

## Iguana iguana (Green Iguana). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago, University of the West Indies.

https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/documents/ogatt/Iguana_iguana%20-%20Green%20Iguana.pdf

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| During displays of combat an iguana can produce a loud hissing sound, or a cough from a sudden burst of exhaling. | Expiration of air during respiration after long periods of uninterrupted inspiration during displays of combat may result in the production of a loud hissing sound alternately large, sudden bursts of expiration can result in a coughing sound being produced by the animal. |

## Falcón, Ackerman & Daehler (2012). March of the Green Iguana: Non-native Distribution and Predicted Geographic Range of Iguana iguana in the Greater Caribbean Region. Reptiles & Amphibians.

https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v19i3.14532

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| After a hurricane in 1995, at least 15 iguanas rafted on trees from Guadeloupe until they reached the coast of Anguilla, some 200 miles away. | another originated from Guadeloupe after a hurricane in 1995 sent at least 15 iguanas rafting on trees until they reached the Anguillan coast some 200 miles away |
| Researchers recorded iguanas reaching Anguilla on rafts of floating vegetation that drifted about 320 km from Guadeloupe. | Censky et al. (1998) recorded Green Iguanas reaching Anguilla on rafts of floating vegetation that had drifted about 320 km from their source in Guadeloupe. (note: FAQ) |
| Some swam or floated. | are known to have colonized islands after swimming or rafting considerable distances (note: FAQ) |