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Human Coevolution
Cyclura lewisi began its interaction with humans after human settlement on Grand Cayman. Unfortunately, the settlement of humans and pets began the decline of the Blue Iguana as the adults, hatched, and unhatched offspring were pillaged by humans using them for sustenance and killing them for predation on crops. Blue Iguana populations were also attacked by feral pets slaughtering in large numbers.
The Blue Iguanas' need for thermoregulation and food sources brought them into human settlements, where after deforestation, large sunny areas, and an abundance of ground level food existing, pushed the blue iguanas inland to the humans who then killed them for their food or for eating crops.
Due to Grand Cayman being an export island and the doubling of the human population every 12 years, deforestation, rethinking agriculture (from fruit production to cattle), and the increase of motor transport, humans have increased the threat to Blue Iguanas and subsequentially promoted the endangerment of the species.
Genetic Variability
Low Genetic Diversity
Blue Iguanas exhibit low genetic diversity due to the bottleneck of their population and preference to their ancestral island.
They have a limited gene pool in comparison to evolutionarily similar species (Cuban iguana, Bahamian rock iguana, etc.), however are very distinct in comparison to other island iguana species due to their color and dorsal spines.
Blue Iguanas are among some of the largest living native land animals on Grand Cayman (island gigantism).
They are one of the largest species of lizard in the Western Hemisphere and the largest of the Cyclura genus.
The color of the Cyclura species is not dependent on a specific gene but factors such as age, health, temperature, melanin, and environment.
For example: Cayman Blue Iguanas' dark grey skin matches the karst rock of their habitat. They change to blue to signal and establish territory with other iguanas.
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