Oplurus cuvieri

Oplurus cuvieri
At Anjajavy Forest, Madagascar
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Infraorder: Iguania
Family: Opluridae
Genus: Oplurus
Species: O. cuvieri
Binomial name
Oplurus cuvieri
(Gray, 1831)
Synonyms

Oplurus cuvieri, commonly known as the collared iguanid lizard, collared iguana, or Madagascan collared iguana, is a species of arboreal Malagasy iguana, the largest of six species in the genus Oplurus.

Etymology

The specific name, cuvieri, is in honor of French naturalist Georges Cuvier.[2]

Description

As the common names suggest, O. cuvieri has a distinctive black collar that stands out against the body which is speckled with lighter spots. It has a large head, and the relatively short tail has spiny scales. The female is a duller brown colour.[3]

The images below show considerable variation in markings and coloration.

Geographic range

The collared iguana is found in the western tropical forests of Madagascar and on Grand Comore Island.[4]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized.[1]

Diet

O. cuvieri has a mostly carnivorous diet.[3]

Reproduction

Breeding is timed with the rainy season.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Oplurus cuvieri ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Oplurus cuvieri, p. 63).
  3. 1 2 3 "Collared iguana". Arkive. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  4. "Oplurus cuvieri ". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 5 September 2014.

Further reading


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, July 08, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.