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Cyclura lewisi, also known as the Blue Iguana or Grand Cayman ground iguana, is a species endemic to Grand Cayman and one of the longest living species of lizard as they live up to 69 years. Unfortunately, due to colonization, human encroachment, poaching, and predation by larger animals such as feral cats and dogs, only 15 Blue Iguanas existed by 2003 with expectations to go extinct by the end of the first decade of the 2000's. To address this issue, conservationist have taken on the mantle of repopulating the Blue Iguana species by captive-breeding and release, increasing the population to 750 individuals by late 2012 and over 1,200 individuals to date.
Appearance
5 ft (1.5m) nose to tail length
Weigh up to 30 lbs (14kg)
Toes and claws designed to be efficient for digging and climbing
Adult Male Color: Dark grey to turquoise blue
Adult Female Color: Olive green to pale blue
Young Offspring Color: Dark brown or dark green with faint banding
Eye Color: Golden irises and red sclera
Males: Large, prominent dorsal crests and large femoral pores (pheromones). Larger than females by 2/3rds
Sharp, serrated teeth
Reproduction
Mating occurs May- June only once or twice per day from 30-90 seconds
A clutch of 1-21 eggs (based on size of the female) laid in June or July in dug nests exposed to the sun
Burrows range from 16-60 in. with an enlarged chamber for movement of the female
Females migrate to costal areas to nest
Temperatures in the nest are a constant 90 degrees Fahrenheit with an incubation of 65 to 90 days
Some of the largest eggs laid by any lizard
Sexual maturity after four years (captivity)
Life Span:
69 years (in captivity)
20-40 years (wild)
Diet
Herbivores (Over 100 native plants)
Leaves
Stems
Flowers
Nuts
Fruits
Occasional supplements
Insects
Crabs
Slugs
Fungi
Habitat
Lives only on Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands
Once costal, but due to human encroachment, occur only inland in naturally xerophytic (environments with little liquid; cacti, pineapples, etc.)
Females occupy territories of 0.6 acres and males occupy territories of 1.4 acres, with overlap, the population density tends to be 4-5 individuals per hectare (2.471 acres)
Occupies rock holes, tree cavities, and primarily terrestrial spaces as adults
Occasionally observed climbing trees 15 ft (4.6 m) and higher
Spend most of their day outside
Evolutionary Tree
References
- iNaturalist. (n.d.). Grand Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi). iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/121111-Cyclura-lewisi
- National Trust for the Cayman Islands. (n.d.). Blue iguana conservation. https://nationaltrust.org.ky/our-work/conservation/blue-iguana-conservation/
- Burton, F. J. (2011). Population restoration for a critically endangered reptile—the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana (Cyclura lewisi). Reptiles Australasia, 11(October), 35–44. https://www.reptilesaustralasia.com
- Reynolds, R. G., Miller, A. H., Pasachnik, S. A., Knapp, C. R., Welch, M. E., Colosimo, G., Gerber, G. P., Drawert, B., & Iverson, J. B. (2022). Phylogenomics and historical biogeography of West Indian Rock Iguanas (genus Cyclura). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 174, 107548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107548
- Sun, B. J., Li, W. M., Lv, P., Wen, G. N., Wu, D. Y., Tao, S. A., Liao, M. L., Yu, C. Q., Jiang, Z. W., Wang, Y., Xie, H. X., Wang, X. F., Chen, Z. Q., Liu, F., & Du, W. G. (2024). Genetically Encoded Lizard Color Divergence for Camouflage and Thermoregulation. Molecular biology and evolution, 41(2), msae009. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msae009
- Malone, C. L., Wheeler, T., Taylor, J. F., & Davis, S. K. (2000). Phylogeography of the Caribbean Rock Iguana (Cyclura): Implications for conservation and insights on the biogeographic history of the West Indies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 17(2), 269–279. https://doi.org/10.1006/mpev.2000.0836
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