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Table of Contents
The iguana is a genus of lizards belonging to the family of Iguanidae. Iguanas can be found in the hot and humid areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The name “iguana” originated from the Taino name “iwana.”
See the fact file below for more information on the iguana, or you can download our 26-page Iguana worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Introducing the Iguana
- Iguanas are ancient, herbivorous lizards. They are reptiles with a stocky, scaly skinned body with a row of spines running from their neck to the tail.
- Color varies from gray or brown to orange or green, and they have a saggy membrane hanging underneath their chin, which they can puff out and enlarge, making them look more fierce.
Taxonomy
- Iguanas have:
- three eyes, two ordinary eyes for normal sight, and a third eye situated on the top of their head. This third eye is called the parietal eye. It resembles a scale rather than an eyeball and is used to sense light and movement, helping iguanas sense predatory birds above them.
- nostrils used for breathing and for the excretion of salt done by sneezing
- a mouth with jaws of tiny, serrated, diamond-shaped teeth attached to the side of the inside of the jawbone
- a dewlap, which is a large flap of skin under the chin, used to help regulate body temperature
- four legs with long fingers and sharp claws used for climbing trees and hanging on to branches. The claws are also used for defense.
- soft spikes on their backs used to help the iguana cool their body temperature and also scare potential predators.
- Iguanas grow to 5 – 6 ft (1.5 – 1.8 m) in length.
- Adult males weigh about 8.8 lb (4 kg), and the smaller female weighs about 6.6 lb (1.2 kg.
- Iguanas have tiny scales at the back of their necks called tuberculate scales.
- Iguanas have a big round scale located on their cheeks called a subtympanic shield.
- Iguanas can use their tails to hit their enemies. However, when they are in danger and need to escape, they can separate their tails from their body and escape leaving their tail behind.
- Iguanas have the ability to camouflage themselves, and this is used to protect them from predators.
Habitat and Diet
- Iguanas are found in Central and South America, Mexico, on some of the Caribbean islands, on the Galápagos Islands, and Fiji and Madagascar.
- Depending on the species, iguanas live happily in deserts, swamps, rainforests, and rocky regions.
- Iguanas are cold-blooded. They hate the cold and love warmth, so they gravitate to where they can easily keep warm.
- Iguanas are herbivores, meaning that they eat plants, and their diet consists of leaves and vines and flowers and fruits.
- They have from 80 to 120 teeth with a strong biting ability.
- The teeth are small and make a pointed V-shape which is perfect for holding and cutting the plants they eat.
Ecology
- Iguanas play an important role in helping balance the ecosystem. They are also natural seed dispersers, scattering seeds from their diet.
- They use the sunlight from the environment to aid their metabolism.
- Iguanas are food for predators such as hawks, owls, eagles, snakes, and humans.
Reproduction
- Iguanas reach sexual maturity between three and four years of age.
- After mating, the female iguana will build a nest for her eggs by digging a tunnel in the ground.
- They lay 40 to 50 eggs around 45 days after mating, but unfortunately, not all of the eggs will hatch as predators often dig up iguana nests and eat the eggs.
- After laying the eggs, the female iguana leaves them unattended.
- The eggs undergo an incubation period of 8 to 10 weeks when hatching commences.
- The hatching process takes 7 to 10 days, starting with a cracking and resting phase which takes 1 to 2 days.
- Once the egg is cracked completely open, a yolk sac provides initial nutrients to the new hatchling.
- The baby iguanas are completely on their own from the time they hatch, and it takes about two years for a baby iguana to become an adult. Baby iguanas are very vulnerable, and many get eaten before they reach adulthood. Cats particularly enjoy catching and eating baby iguanas they find in the garden.
- The lifespan of iguanas averages 12-15 years in the wild and more in captivity.
Species
- The Grand Cayman iguana is blue in color and is the heaviest of all iguanas. It is endemic to the island of Grand Cayman and is an endangered species.
- Cuban rock iguanas are the largest of the West Indian rock iguanas and one of the easiest to tame. However, beware of having one as a pet, as their strong jaws can easily bite off a finger or toe.
- Rhinoceros iguanas are endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. They have three horn-like protrusions on their head, making them look like real rhinoceros. They can be super fierce.
- Blizzard iguanas are the result of Axanthic and Albino iguanas being bred with each other and are white in color, hence the name blizzard iguana.
- Galapagos land iguanas are also called yellow iguanas. They are one of three species of land iguana endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and although they look scary, they are still herbivores living on plant matter.
Other Interesting Facts
- Iguanas can remain alive after falling from as high as 50 feet without sustaining injuries!
- Iguanas are very good swimmers. In fact, most iguanas both love and enjoy swimming. They can survive underwater for 28 minutes without breathing.
- Although they are also called Green Iguanas, some of them have different colors, such as blue, orange, or purple.
- Iguanas are social creatures who like to be around each other, although male iguanas are territorial.
- Some iguanas, namely Turks and Caicos rock iguanas, are able to float on water.
- Young iguanas will eat the poop of adult iguanas so they can get the much-needed bacteria that are useful for digestion.
- As pets, iguanas take their own lives when not taken care of properly by their owners.
- Iguanas love sunbathing. They typically spend their days lounging in the sun to both get warm and keep warm.
- Iguanas are not very active when it comes to looking for food which can result in them eating in the same area every day until food becomes scarce.
- “Bamboo Chicken” is a recipe made specifically with green/common iguanas, named because it does taste very similar to chicken. Small iguanas are usually chopped up, cooked, and then the meat is picked off the bones and eaten.
- Iguana eggs can also be eaten. They are good boiled and are also added to stews.
- If caught by their tail, iguanas can detach their tails and escape leaving the tail behind. They then grow another tail.
Iguana Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about iguanas across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Iguana worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the iguana, a genus of lizards belonging to the family of Iguanidae. Iguanas can be found in the hot and humid areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The name “iguana” originated from the Taino name “iwana.”
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Iguana Facts
- Iguana Parts
- Used For What
- Where To Find
- Word Hunt
- Species Match
- Eat or Not
- Iguana Online
- Missing Info
- Picture Search
- Iguana Adventures
Frequently Asked Questions
Do iguanas bite?
Iguanas can and do bite, but usually only if feeling threatened. They have sharp teeth designed to tear plants apart so they can cause a painful bite. However, iguanas are not aggressive by nature, and before iguanas attack/bite, they usually warn predators by standing up on their legs and bobbing their heads, and enlarging their dewlaps.
Do iguanas make good pets?
Yes, iguanas make good pets and are one of the most popular pet lizards. They live a long time, need a high level of care, and have specific housing and feeding needs. Most iguanas can become tame with correct daily handling.
What color are iguanas?
Most iguanas are green or bluish-green, although there are many different shades. Males can change their shade when trying to impress/court a female or display their dominance.
Are iguanas becoming extinct?
Sadly, iguanas are not as common in the wild as they used to be. People have built on rural land where iguanas live, taking away their natural habitat, and humans also hunt iguanas for food or capture them to sell as pets.
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Link will appear as Iguana Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 5, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.