Құйрыққа тікенді кесірткелер туысы

Genus of lizards

Ctenosaura is a lizard genus commonly known as spinytail iguanas or ctenosaurs. The genus is part of the large lizard family Iguanidae and is native to Mexico and Central America. The name is derived from two Greek words: κτενός (ctenos), meaning "comb" (referring to the comblike spines on the lizard's back and tail), and σαύρα (saura), meaning "lizard".

The species range in size (total length, including the tail) from about to well over The distinctive feature of this genus is the presence of enlarged, spiny scales on the tail.

Ctenosaurs are generally omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, foliage, and small animals. While studying physiological correlates of locomotion in lizards, a "burst speed" of 34.6 km/h (21.5 miles/h) was recorded by a black spiny tail iguana (Ctenosaura similis), which is the highest speed reported for a lizard.

C. pectinata, C. similis, and C. quinquecarinata are popular as pets.

At least two species, Ctenosaura pectinata and Ctenosaura similis, have been introduced into southern areas of Texas and Florida. They are also now in southern Arizona.

The genus Ctenosaura represents the most diverse group of iguanas with 15 currently recognized species and at least two unrecognized species. These species inhabit lowland dry forests, woodlands and semi open habitats, below elevation, on both coasts of Mexico and Central America. ImageSpeciesCommon nameAuthorityGeographic rangeCtenosaura acanthuraMexican spiny tailed iguana(Shaw, 1802)Eastern MexicoCtenosaura bakeriBaker's spinytail iguanaStejneger, 1901Utila island off HondurasCtenosaura clarkiMichoacan club tail Western MexicoCtenosaura conspicuosaIsla San Esteban spiny tailed iguana San Esteban Island, Gulf of CaliforniaCtenosaura flavidorsalisyellowback spinytail iguana G. Köhler & Klemmer, 1994Honduras, El Salvador, and GuatemalaCtenosaura hemilophacape spiny tail iguana Southern half of Baja California, MexicoCtenosaura macrolophaSonora spiny tailed iguana Sonora, MexicoCtenosaura melanosternablack chested spinytail iguanaBuckley & Axtell, 1997HondurasCtenosaura nolascensisIsla San Pedro Nolasco spiny tailed iguana Oaxaca, MexicoCtenosaura oedirhinaRoatán spinytail iguanade Queiroz, 1987Roatán, HondurasCtenosaura palearisGuatemalan spinytail iguana Stejneger, 1899GuatemalaCtenosaura pectinatawestern spiny tail iguana Western Mexico. Introduced to southern areas of Texas and Florida. Ctenosaura quinquecarinataclub tail iguanaGray, 1842Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Ctenosaura similisblack spiny tail iguana Mexico and Central America; reported in some Colombian islands, introduced to southern Florida.