Liolaemus chiliensis

Liolaemus chiliensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Iguanidae
Genus: Liolaemus
Species: L. chiliensis
Binomial name
Liolaemus chiliensis
Lesson

The Chilean tree iguana, Liolaemus chiliensis, is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is endemic to Chile and southwestern Neuquen Province, Argentina.

It occurs in open forests and ecotonal scrublands or scrub-steppes, chiefly in the Chilean Matorral ecoregion.[1]

Description

The Chilean tree iguana is a relatively large-sized lizard, reaching 25 cm (9.8 in) in total length. It is an oviparous species, and feeds mainly of insects and other invertebrates.[2]

This species is sometimes kept as a pet,[3] although such a practise violates conservation biology principles, since this species has such a limited range, and is thus vulnerable to habitat disruption and population declines.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liolaemus chiliensis.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, November 18, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.