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==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
The '''Acklins Ground iguana''' is a recognized subspecies of the [[Cyclura rileyi rileyi|San Salvador rock iguana]], recognized as such since 1975.<ref name ="iucn"/> The species is listed as endangered according to the current IUCN Red List.<ref name ="iucn">
The '''Acklins Ground iguana''' is a recognized subspecies of the [[Cyclura rileyi rileyi|San Salvador rock iguana]], recognized as such since 1975.<ref name ="iucn"/><ref name="Hollingsworth">
{{citation
| last = Hollingsworth
| first = Bradford D.
| title = The Evolution of Iguanas: An Overview of Relationships and a Checklist od Species
| work = Iguanas: Biology and Conservation
| publisher = University of California Press
| pages = 35-39
| date = 2004
| isbn = 9780520238541
}}
</ref> The species is listed as endangered according to the current IUCN Red List.<ref name ="iucn">
{{IUCN2006|assessors=Hayes, W.K.|year=2000|id=6048|title=Cyclura rileyi|downloaded=25 August 2007}}
{{IUCN2006|assessors=Hayes, W.K.|year=2000|id=6048|title=Cyclura rileyi|downloaded=25 August 2007}}
</ref>
</ref>

Revision as of 06:07, 9 October 2007

Acklins Ground Iguana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Family:
Iguanidae
Genus:
Cyclura
Species:
C. rileyi
Subspecies:
C. r. nuchalis
Trinomial name
Cyclura rileyi nuchalis
Barbour and Noble, 1916

The Acklins Ground Iguana or Watling Island Iguana (Cyclura rileyi nuchalis) is an endangered subspecies of lizard of the genus Cyclura it is one of three subspecific forms of Cyclura rileyi in the Iguanidae family.[1]

Taxonomy

The Acklins Ground iguana is a recognized subspecies of the San Salvador rock iguana, recognized as such since 1975.[1][2] The species is listed as endangered according to the current IUCN Red List.[1]

Anatomy and morphology

Acklins Ground iguana strongly resembles the San Salvador Rock Iguana in color and shape. The lizard's back color can range from red, orange or yellow, to green, brown or grey, usually patterned by darker markings. The very brightest colors (red, orange or yellow) are normally only displayed by males and are more pronounced which at warmer body temperatures. Immature iguanas lack these bright colors, being either solid brown or grey with faint slightly darker stripes.[1]

Like other members of the genus cyclura, males of this species have femoral pores on their thighs, which are used to release pheromones, females lack these pores making the animals somewhat sexually dimorphic.[3]

Distribution

The Acklins Ground Iguana is endemic to three small cays in the Bahamas and is described as endangered according to the current IUCN Red List.[1]

Natural populations of Acklins Ground Iguanas are found only on Fish Cay and North Cay in the Acklins Bight, Bahamas.[1][4] They formerly occurred on Long (Fortune) Cay.[1] An additional introduced population with five founding individuals became established on a small cay in the early 1970s.[1][4][5]

Diet

Like all Cyclura species the Acklins ground Iguana is primarily herbivorous, 95% of it's diet is derived from consuming leaves, flowers and fruits from 7 different plant species such as wild thyme and prickly pear cactus(Opuntia stricta). This diet is very rarely supplemented with animal matter, although a wild specemin has been recorded eating mice.[4]

Mating

Mating occurs between May and June depending when the dry season ends, and 2-5 eggs are usually laid within 40 days depending on the size and age of the female.[5] Some females have been observed migrating to coastal areas on the cay in order to build their nests in the sand and may even guard the nest site for a short period of time.[5] The hatchlings emerge from the nests in August to early September.[1]

Habitat

Unlike every other species of Cyclura the Acklins iguana is free of threats by feral predators.[4] The cays they dwell on are remote and human populations leave the animals undisturbed.[4] Natural predators in the form of ospreys, herons, and seagulls have minimal impact on the populations.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Template:IUCN2006 Cite error: The named reference "iucn" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Hollingsworth, Bradford D. (2004), "The Evolution of Iguanas: An Overview of Relationships and a Checklist od Species", Iguanas: Biology and Conservation, University of California Press, pp. 35–39, ISBN 9780520238541
  3. ^ Winker, Carol (2/8/2007), Iguanas get royal attention {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f Hayes, William; Carter, Ronald; Cyril, Samuel; Thornton, Benjamin (2004), "Conservation of a Bahamian Rock Iguana, I", Iguanas: Biology and Conservation, University of California Press, pp. 232–243, ISBN 9780520238541
  5. ^ a b c Thornton, Benjamin (June 2000). "NESTING ECOLOGY OF THE ENDANGERED ACKLINS BIGHT ROCK IGUANA, CYCLURA RILEYI NUCHALIS, IN THE BAHAMAS". abstract. Andrews University. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); line feed character in |title= at position 53 (help)
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