Saturday, September 20, 2014

Creature Feature #336: Iguana

The Iguana is a large lizard, inhabiting the forests of Central and South America. He leads an arboreal lifestyle, usually living near water. His diet is predominantly herbivorous, favouring fruit, foliage and flowers. One of his characteristic features is the highly-developed dewlap. This is used to help him regulate his body temperature, and plays a role in courtship and territorial displays. He is also equipped with a white photosensory organ - a parietal eye - on his forehead. This is sensitive to changes in light and dark, and could be used to help locate predators lurking above him. If he senses a threat he will flee, or dive into the water. However, the scream of a raptor will cause him to freeze, relying on his camouflage for protection.

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