Origin
The desert Iguana lives in the Mojave and Sonora deserts, southeastern California, Southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, central and southern Arizona, Eastern and southern Baja California, northwestern Mexico, and several of the Gulf of California Islands.
It lives in desert areas, where it hides among rocks, rocks and bushes. Sometimes it also hides in abandoned dens of mice or other rodents. The desert Iguana, Dispsosaurus dorsalis, can be found in subtropical arid areas and deciduous forests.
It can generally be found up to altitudes of 1000m, but has also been seen at 1200m probably in search of food.
The species was first described in the North American reptile catalogue by Spencer Fullerton Baird and Charles Fraser Girard in 1859, and Edward Hallowell classified it with its current scientific name two years later.
The scientific name translates as"hungry lizard".
Desert iguana feed
It feeds on plants that live in arid regions, but also on insects.
The desert Iguana is mainly herbivorous. Besides plants it feeds on fruits or various leaves. She is attracted by the yellow flowers of a plant.
Desert Iguana features
An adult can be between 25 and 60 cm in length. The body is round, and the tail is long. In the head area shows shades of Brown. On the neck has light brown or gray spots. The tail is gray or white with black spots.
The tail is very long, 50% longer than the body.
It is a diurnal and active lizard, even when the temperature exceeds 45 degrees Celsius. It is not an endangered species. It has a high heat tolerance and is active during the day when the temperature of the sun forces other lizards to stay hidden.
Predators of the desert iguana and its eggs include foxes, mice, long-tailed weasels, snakes and humans. When she feels threatened she hides as fast as she can, she uses sprinting.
It uses fecal matter to signal its presence and mark its territory. Thus observe if on its territory are the US have passed other iguanas or lizards.
Desert iguana breeding
The Iguana comes out of the hibernation state in mid-March. In April or may, breeding takes place.
The female lays between two and 10 eggs between May and June. Chicks come out through July-august.
In the mating season, adults have a pink tint on the abdomen.
