Cyclura ricordii
Cyclura ricordii | |
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C. ricordii at Lake Enriquillo, Dominican Republic | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Iguania |
Family: | Iguanidae |
Genus: | Cyclura |
Species: | C. ricordii
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Binomial name | |
Cyclura ricordii | |
Synonyms[3][4] | |
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Cyclura ricordii, also known as Ricord's ground iguana or Ricord's rock iguana, is an
Taxonomy
The
In 1837 Cyclura ricordii was described as a species new to science by
The
Genetic (
Common names
In
Vernacular names in Spanish include iguana amarilla and iguana de Ricord. In the local Haitian Creole, it is known as leza recò. In French, the names cyclure d'Hispaniola, cyclures de Ricord and iguane de Ricord are recorded.[1]
Description
Cyclura ricordii is a species of
Their body color is a grayish green flat color marked by five to six bold pale gray chevrons alternating with dark gray to black chevrons. In adults, the dark chevrons are less contrasting than in juveniles.[10] The eyes have a dark, almost black iris and red sclera.[citation needed]
Species of Cyclura are
Eggs from the genus Cyclura are some of the largest laid by any lizard.[13]
Distribution
Until 2008, Cyclura ricordii was thought to be restricted to two populations in the southern Dominican Republic: one population in the arid
Hispaniola was once two islands; genetic evidence indicates C. ricordii evolved on the northern island and later dispersed southwards, while C. cornuta evolved on the southern island.[7]
Ecology
Habitat
This species inhabits dry
Behaviour
It is a
Mating occurs from May through June.[16] In the genus Cyclura in general, in many species copulation is preceded by numerous head-bobs on the part of the male, who then circles around behind the female and grasps the nape of her neck in order to manoeuvre his tail under hers to position himself for sex.[13] Nest sites are built in clay or sand,[1] in pockets of earth exposed to the sun.[16] The Haiti population nests in a single location on a sandy beach at the coast. Anywhere from 2 to 23 eggs are usually laid in May to July,[1] depending on the size and age of the female.[16] The eggs go through a 95- to 100-day incubation period before hatching in July to September The average success rate is 95%. After two to three years both sexes have reached maturity.[1]
The adults of the species are primarily
Diet
It feeds on a wide variety of plants and plant parts, depending on local availability, including Consolea, Cordia, Croton, Guaiacum, Melocactus lemairei, Opuntia and Prosopis.[10] Insects and crustaceans are also sometimes eaten when the opportunity presents itself,[1][10] as well as vertebrates.[1]
Conservation
In 1970, the estimated wild population was 5,000 lizards.
The two populations are partially found within the following
- Jaragua National Park, Pedernales Province, Dominican Republic.
- Bahoruco Province, Dominican Republic.
The
Threats
In 1995, Ottenwalder mentioned that in the 1970s, Chinese restaurants in the capital city Santo Domingo sometimes sold iguana meat from this species as a special treat, although this was not going on in his time.[10] According to Grupo Jaragua, the Ricord's iguana population in Pedernales Province has been threatened by agricultural displacement through increased cattle grazing, as well as charcoal mining.[20] They state the iguanas are hunted and trapped as a food source by humans, and killed by goatherders under the false superstition that iguanas rip open the bellies of livestock with their pointed crests.[20][21] Competition from domestic and feral livestock is also a concern, as is predation of juveniles by cats, dogs, and mongooses.[20]
Status
The IUCN initially assessed this species'
References
- ^ . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ The Reptile Database. Zoological Museum Hamburg. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ .
- ^ a b Duméril, André Marie Constant; Bibron, Gabriel (1837). Erpetologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complete des Reptiles (in French). Vol. 4. Paris: Librairie Encyclopédique Roret. pp. 190–192.
- ^ Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ PMID 11083940. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ Alberts, Allison (2007). "Turks & Caicos Iguana, Cyclura carinata carinata Conservation & Mgmt. Plan 2005 - 2009" (PDF). Iguana Specialist Group. Retrieved November 26, 2007. [dead link]
- ^ doi:10.15468/39omei. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- ^ ISBN 2-8317-0456-1. Archived from the originalon October 28, 2007.
- ^ a b c Foster, John Scott (August 2005), Saving Ricord's Iguana: Conservation and Education in the Dominican Republic (PDF), Association of Zoos and Aquariums Communique, pp. 19–20, archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-02-21
- ^ Sánchez Muñoz, Alejandro J. "Family Iguanidae: Iguanas and Their Kin". Father Sanchez's Web Site of West Indian Natural History Diapsids I: Introduction; Lizards. Kingsnake.com. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f Blair, David (1991), "West Indian Iguanas of the Genus Cyclura: Their Current Status in the Wild, Conservation Priorities and Efforts to Breed Them in Captivity" (PDF), Northern California Herpetological Society Special Publication, vol. SE, no. 6, pp. 55–56, archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-04-11
- ISBN 1-882770-18-8
- ISBN 978-0-520-23854-1
- ^ .
- ^ Accime, Masani, Ricord's Iguana Project: Message from our research team, archived from the original on 2012-11-01, retrieved 2012-02-12
- ^ Wyatt III, John E. (2003). "Indianapolis Zoo Conducts Ricord's Iguana Field Research". Project Iguana. Indianapolis Zoo. Archived from the original on 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
- ^ . Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d Rupp, Ernst; Incháustegui, Sixto J.; Arias, Yvonne (December 1, 2005). "Conservation of Cyclura ricordii in the Southwestern Dominican Republic and a Brief History of the Grupo Jaragua". Iguana: Journal of the International Iguana Society. 12 (4): 222–234.
- ^ Rupp, Ernst; Incháustegui, Sixto J.; Arias, Yvonne (2005). "Preliminary Report on the Distribution and Situation of Cyclura ricordi on the Southern Shore of Enriquillo Lake". El Vergel (33). Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: 1–12.