North American spiny-tailed iguana (SciiFii)

The North American spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura americanum), also known as the northern spiny-tailed iguana, the North American ctenosaur, and the American spiny-tailed lizard, is a species of iguana that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, swamps, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across North America to help boost biodiversity. The North American spiny-tailed igauna is one of the largest members of the genus Ctenosaura. The males are capable of growing up to 1.3 meters (4 feet 3 inches) in length and the females are slightly shorter, at 0.8–1 meter (2 feet 7 in–3 ft 3 inches). They have a crest of long spines which extends down the center of the back. Although coloration varies extremely among individuals of the same population, adults usually have a whitish gray or tan ground color with a series of 4–12 well-defined dark dorsal bands that extend nearly to the ventral scales. Males also develop an orange color around the head and throat during breeding season with highlights of blue and peach on their jowls. North American spiny-tailed iguanas are excellent climbers, and prefer a rocky habitat with plenty of crevices to hide in, rocks to bask on, and nearby trees to climb. They are diurnal and fast moving, employing their speed to escape predators but will lash with their tails and bite if cornered. The Guinness Book of World Records lists the North American spiny-tailed iguana, along with the black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis), as one of the world's fastest "natural" lizard, with a maximal sprint speed of 34.6 km/h. The North American spiny-tailed iguanas are primarily herbivorous, eating flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit, but they will opportunistically eat smaller animals, eggs and arthropods. Juveniles tend to be insectivores, becoming more herbivorous as they get older. They are known to eat the fruit and live in the limbs of various trees that are highly poisonous to most other animals. The conservation status of the North American spiny-tailed iguana is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the North American spiny-tailed iguana's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii