Club-Tailed and Spiny-Tailed Igs

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Posted by Alta on May 01, 1999 at 14:20:52:

Someone asked about club-tailed igs a while back, and I finally found time
to look up some more info on them.

Club-tailed igs are most likely Ctenosaura quinquecarinata or Ctenosaura
defensor. They used to be classified as Enyaliosaurus, but recently
quinquecarinata and E. defensor have recently been moved to the Ctenosaura
genus. Club tailed igs have tails that are often flattened and widened at
the base, with whorls of spiny scales usually alternating with rows of
granular scales.

C. defensor is also known as the Lagatijo de Maya iguana and is found only
on the Yucatan Peninsula, the coastal areas of Campeche, Yucatan, and
Quintana Roo. It is the smallest lizard of the genus--males reach 6-8
inches and females 5.5-7. They have a short stout body and a heavily
armored tail, but no granular scales between whorled scales. (If this is
the lizard I think it is, it looks very much like a small Uromastyx, but I
couldn't find the picture I was looking for so I only have my memory to go
on.) Color-wise, they have a blue head and neck, black chest and mid-back
with white bands, brick red on the lower part of the body and a gray tail.
They like high heat and do all right with a range of humidity. This lizard
hides a lot and isn't seen very often. I'd be surprised if this is what you
have, but I suppose it's possible.

C. quinquecarinata ranges from Costa Rica through Mexico. Males reach 10-15
inches and females 7-10. They have a heavily armored tail with with spiky
rings and rows forming three major longitudinal ridges. Color-wise, they
usually have a tan or brown base color with black chevrons divided by white
or light green and pea-green spots. They prefer high heat and low humidity.
A new form of this species with more yellow and black coloration has
recently been proposed as C. flavodorsalis.

According to Bruce Elfstrom, who is the main person I know of who is
serously working with Ctenosaura, the basking site should be around 95
degrees and the cool side down to around 71. Night time temp can drop as
low as 62, as long as it heats back up the next day. They require UVB, and
like green igs, real sunlight when possible is preferable to just being
kept under fluorescents. Ctenosaura should all be provided with a hide-box,
since they tend to be somewhat secretive. You should not disturb this
hide-box if at all possible as it will stress them significantly. Any
substrate that would work with a green ig is appropriate for a Cteno as
well. Elfstrom uses alfalfa pellets, I use towels or newspaper. (Or
carpet, vinyl, and laminate, since Neroon, my C. pectinata, is currently
free-roaming. ;))

The only real difference is that Ctenosaura aren't total herbivores so
Neroon eats Melissa's ig salad and occasional superworms. I probably feed
98% veggie and 2% animal protein, although I know some people feed other
proportions. Elfstrom prefers to err on the side of too little animal
protein rather than too much and feeds young spinys as much as 35% animal
protein in their diets, tapering down to 15% by age 1-1.5 years and then to
2% or none at all for adults. Like greens, they should have a water dish in
the enclosure.

Basically, I just keep him like I keep my greens with the occasional
bowl-of-superworms treat, and he seems to be thriving. He's certainly grown
considerably since I first got him.

Spinys tend to be harder to tame than greens and I've yet to hear of one
that was house-broken. For all that, they have a real charm. :) Neroon
was a rescue and I didn't intend to keep him. That was two years ago and
I don't see him leaving any time soon. :) Even my husband likes him,
although he always specifies that he prefers to admire Neroon from a safe
distance. :) I don't think spiny dentition is the same as green ig, but
it's equally impressive. Trust me on this. :) He (Neroon, not my husband
;))has calmed down significantly since I got him, but he's not as tame as
my greens are.

Here are my sources in case anybody wants to read more:

Elfstrom, Bruce, Genus Ctenosaura: The Spiny-Tailed Iguana, _Reptiles_,
August 1997.

Gray, Randall, Lizards in the Land of Enchantment--A Visit with Bruce
Elfstrom, _Vivarium_, Vol 9, #6, 1998.

Kaplan, Melissa, Spiny-Tail Caresheet,
http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/cteno.html

Myers, Bill, Bill and Jan's Reptile Homepage, http://www.nfds.net/~bmyers/

Obst, et al. _The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptile & Amphibians for
the Terrarium_. 1988. TFH Publications, Inc.

Alta

Follow Ups:

Thanks for all this info!! WENDY hope you see this! n/p Iguanamomma 5/02/99 (0)
nice work......n/p Dino 5/02/99 (0)

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Comments:
: Someone asked about club-tailed igs a while back, and I finally found time : to look up some more info on them. : Club-tailed igs are most likely Ctenosaura quinquecarinata or Ctenosaura : defensor. They used to be classified as Enyaliosaurus, but recently : quinquecarinata and E. defensor have recently been moved to the Ctenosaura : genus. Club tailed igs have tails that are often flattened and widened at : the base, with whorls of spiny scales usually alternating with rows of : granular scales. : C. defensor is also known as the Lagatijo de Maya iguana and is found only : on the Yucatan Peninsula, the coastal areas of Campeche, Yucatan, and : Quintana Roo. It is the smallest lizard of the genus--males reach 6-8 : inches and females 5.5-7. They have a short stout body and a heavily : armored tail, but no granular scales between whorled scales. (If this is : the lizard I think it is, it looks very much like a small Uromastyx, but I : couldn't find the picture I was looking for so I only have my memory to go : on.) Color-wise, they have a blue head and neck, black chest and mid-back : with white bands, brick red on the lower part of the body and a gray tail. : They like high heat and do all right with a range of humidity. This lizard : hides a lot and isn't seen very often. I'd be surprised if this is what you : have, but I suppose it's possible. : C. quinquecarinata ranges from Costa Rica through Mexico. Males reach 10-15 : inches and females 7-10. They have a heavily armored tail with with spiky : rings and rows forming three major longitudinal ridges. Color-wise, they : usually have a tan or brown base color with black chevrons divided by white : or light green and pea-green spots. They prefer high heat and low humidity. : A new form of this species with more yellow and black coloration has : recently been proposed as C. flavodorsalis. : According to Bruce Elfstrom, who is the main person I know of who is : serously working with Ctenosaura, the basking site should be around 95 : degrees and the cool side down to around 71. Night time temp can drop as : low as 62, as long as it heats back up the next day. They require UVB, and : like green igs, real sunlight when possible is preferable to just being : kept under fluorescents. Ctenosaura should all be provided with a hide-box, : since they tend to be somewhat secretive. You should not disturb this : hide-box if at all possible as it will stress them significantly. Any : substrate that would work with a green ig is appropriate for a Cteno as : well. Elfstrom uses alfalfa pellets, I use towels or newspaper. (Or : carpet, vinyl, and laminate, since Neroon, my C. pectinata, is currently : free-roaming. ;)) : The only real difference is that Ctenosaura aren't total herbivores so : Neroon eats Melissa's ig salad and occasional superworms. I probably feed : 98% veggie and 2% animal protein, although I know some people feed other : proportions. Elfstrom prefers to err on the side of too little animal : protein rather than too much and feeds young spinys as much as 35% animal : protein in their diets, tapering down to 15% by age 1-1.5 years and then to : 2% or none at all for adults. Like greens, they should have a water dish in : the enclosure. : Basically, I just keep him like I keep my greens with the occasional : bowl-of-superworms treat, and he seems to be thriving. He's certainly grown : considerably since I first got him. : Spinys tend to be harder to tame than greens and I've yet to hear of one : that was house-broken. For all that, they have a real charm. :) Neroon : was a rescue and I didn't intend to keep him. That was two years ago and : I don't see him leaving any time soon. :) Even my husband likes him, : although he always specifies that he prefers to admire Neroon from a safe : distance. :) I don't think spiny dentition is the same as green ig, but : it's equally impressive. Trust me on this. :) He (Neroon, not my husband : ;))has calmed down significantly since I got him, but he's not as tame as : my greens are. : Here are my sources in case anybody wants to read more: : Elfstrom, Bruce, Genus Ctenosaura: The Spiny-Tailed Iguana, _Reptiles_, : August 1997. : Gray, Randall, Lizards in the Land of Enchantment--A Visit with Bruce : Elfstrom, _Vivarium_, Vol 9, #6, 1998. : Kaplan, Melissa, Spiny-Tail Caresheet, : http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/cteno.html : Myers, Bill, Bill and Jan's Reptile Homepage, http://www.nfds.net/~bmyers/ : Obst, et al. _The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptile & Amphibians for : the Terrarium_. 1988. TFH Publications, Inc. : Alta

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