A Rainbow of Iguanas

Chuckwalla

Chuckwallas live on Guardian Angel Island in the Gulf of California in the US. They live in rocky habitats. They’re very colorful and only live on this island. These iguanas are herbivores but at times eat insects.

Espanola Marine Iguana

Espanola marine iguanas live on the Galapagos Islands. Their habitats are marshes, mangrove swamps, and beaches. These colorful iguanas have blunt snouts and flattened tails that help them forage for algae underwater. The iguanas can change color according to season. On Espanola Island in the Galapagos, these red and green marine iguanas are referred to as the “Christmas Iguanas”. They are herbivores and feed on intertidal seaweed and algae during low tide. These iguanas are on the ICUN Red List and considered vulnerable.

Fiji Crested Iguana

Fiji crested iguanas live on the island of Yaduataba in the Fiji archipelago. Their habitats are dry forests. These iguanas are green with three white or pale bands. They’re herbivores feeding on leaves, fruit, shoots, and flowers from shrubs and trees.

Galapagos Land Iguana

Galapagos land iguanas come from the Galapagos Islands. They live in the dry lowlands. They’re known for their large size and yellow appearance. These iguanas are among the most giant lizards in the world. Land Iguanas feed on low-growing plants and shrubs, such as the cactus, as well as fallen fruits and cactus pads, including the spines of the plants.

These iguanas have a lovely symbiotic relationship with Darwin finches.

Galapagos Pink Iguana

Galapagos pink iguanas make their homes on the Northern Isabela Island in the Galapagos. Their habitats are the dry lowlands and they can be seen on the Wolf Volcano. These pink iguanas are a new species with a pink body and some black markings. Unfortunately, they’re critically endangered.

Grand Cayman Blue Iguana

Grand Cayman blue iguanas make their homes on the island of Grand Cayman. Their habitats are xerophytic shrubland and dry forests. They’re known for their striking blue color. These iguanas are herbivores.

Jamaican Iguana

Jamaican iguanas hail from the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Their habitats include dry, rocky, limestone, and forest areas. They are the rarest lizards in the world. Their colors are green to blue with dark green shoulders. They’re herbivores and eat flowers and fruit.

Lesser Antillean Iguana

Lesser Antilles iguanas live in the Lesser Antilles, Anguilla, St. Eustatius, Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Martinique. Their habitats include mangrove swamps and rainforests. These iguanas are grayish with some green splotches on the underside and on their heads have pale yellow ivory scales. They’re herbivores and compete with green iguanas for their food. These iguanas are critically endangered.

Lau Band Iguana

Lau band iguanas live on the Lau Islands of the Fijian archipelago. The male iguanas are green in color with two or more white bands while the females are green.

Northern Bahamian Iguana (Pictured on top)

Northern Bahamian iguanas make their homes in the Southwestern Bahamas on the Andros and Exuma Islands. Their habitats include tropical dry forests, pine barrens, coastal scrubs, mangroves, and beach strands. These iguanas are dark gray to black with yellowish-green scales. They’re herbivores.

Rhinoceros Iguana

Rhinoceros iguanas make their homes on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Their habitats include dry forests and coastal terraces. These iguanas have heavy bodies and flattened tails. Their colors are gray to brown. The males have more prominent horns. They are herbivores and eat fruit, leaves, and berries. The IUCN lists them as an endangered species.

Yucatan Spiny Iguana

Yucatan spiny iguanas live in Mexico in semi-arid regions. They’re very colorful with gray bodies with red and black markings or banded patterns. They’re herbivores and feed on flowers, leaves, and fruit.