Yucatan Dwarf Club-tailed Iguana Reptile Ctenosaura defensor

Scientifi c Name Ctenosaura defensor

Other Names Yucatan Dwarf Spiny-tailed Lizard/Iguana

Range Northern Yucatan Peninsula, southern Mexico

Habitat Dry forests

Average Size Length: 5 – 6 in. Weight: 60 – 90 g.

Description Small, stout lizard with a heavily armored Behavior tail. Head is bluish-grey with black to grey The Yucatan Dwarf Club-tailed Iguana is a primarily arboreal species of shoulders, tail and limbs. Lower back is red. iguana, although they have been documented on the ground using rocky outcroppings for basking, hunting and predator avoidance. They are slightly Lifespan unusual in their eating habits as they prefer leaves over the usual iguana In the wild: Unknown diet of fl owers, fruit and seedlings. In captivity: Up to 15 years Reproduction and Breeding Diet Breeding season for this species begins in the spring, with males making In the wild: fruits, fl owers, foliage and small overt visual and physical displays to attract females. Although the female animals is selective about fi nding the precise environment in which to lay her In captivity: fruit and veggie mix, insects eggs, usually in the hollow of a tree or in a rocky crevice, she provides no parental care for the offspring and may not even remain in the same area Clutch Size while they incubate. The youngsters hatch in late spring to early summer, 2 – 3 eggs between April and June, and begin their solitary lives.

Incubation Period 3 months Conservation The Yucatan Dwarf Club-tailed Iguana is one of many iguana species Sexual Maturity experiencing diffi culty surviving in an ever-changing world. Their habitat in the wild is declining in quality and becoming increasingly fragmented, 2 – 3 years with various enclaves of iguanas being separated from others. In addition, the population is also threatened by illegal collecting for the international Predators pet trade. As a result, the population is predicted to decline by at least 30 Birds of prey, wild and domesticated dogs percent over the next ten years. While the current population size is not and cats known, scientists estimate there are only several thousand of this species left in the wild. Population Status Vulnerable The Mexican government is working to inhibit the illegal pet trade by establishing laws against collection and exportation without permits, but this process is not completely effective. It has been recommended that more research, monitoring and assessment needs to be undertaken into the ecology and requirements of the species to better conserve it in its natural environment.

Sacramento Zoological Society 3930 West Land Park Dr., Sacramento, CA 95822 T: 916-808-5888 F: 916-264-7385 E: [email protected] www.saczoo.org Amazing Facts

This is the smallest lizard of the Ctenosaura genus.

In 2010, one of these was found in Michigan, an apparent stow away in a delivery of crates from the Yucatan.

The Yucatan Dwarf Club-tailed Iguana is one of the most vividly colored of the 14 spiny-tailed iguana species.

Yucatan Dwarf Club-tailed Iguana

Sacramento Zoological Society 3930 West Land Park Dr., Sacramento, CA 95822 T: 916-808-5888 F: 916-264-5887 E: [email protected] www.saczoo.org