Mona Ground Iguana - Anatomy and Morphology

Anatomy and Morphology

The Mona ground iguana is a large-bodied, heavy-headed lizard with strong legs and a vertically flattened tail which is capable of reaching 1.22 metres in length (from snout to tail). A crest of pointed, horned scales extends from the nape of the neck to the tip of the tail. The color is a uniform gray to olive drab with slight brown or blue colorations. Juveniles differ from adults in that they have gray transverse bands across their bodies. These bands last until they are sexually mature at about three years of age.

Males possess bony, prominent turbicles on their snouts resembling horns, adipose pads in the form of a helmet on the occipital region of their heads, and large dewlaps. Males of this species, like other species within the genus Cyclura, are larger than females, and have more prominent dorsal crests, "horns", and femoral pores on their thighs, which are used to release pheromones. Females have less obvious pores and have shorter crests than the males, making the animals sexually dimorphic.