Description: Light brown with darker banding as well as some white to cream mottling. Typical of the genus, this species has a tail with enlarged “spiny” scales that protrude in a ring pattern. This species is medium size in comparison with others in its genus and has a large dewlap.

Distribution: Motagua Valley in northeastern Guatemala.

Habitat: Semi-arid dry forest and spiny thickets of the Motagua Valley. This species is arboreal and is highly associated with cactus species found in Guatemala.

Of the 40 species of iguanine lizards, 18 belong to the genus Ctenosaura, the most species-rich genus in this family of large, primarily herbivorous lizards. Ten species were evaluated for the IUCN Red List to determine their risk of extinction and of these, five were ranked Critically Endangered. Four of these belong to the Ctenosaura melanosterna clade, a group of closely related species endemic to Honduras, including the Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos, and Guatemala. The Guatemalan spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura) is found only in the Motagua Valley of Guatemala. The valley is composed of the most endangered ecosystems in Guatemala, the tropical dry forest and tropical thorn scrub. This species is highly associated with the cactus Stenocereus pruinosus which provides the iguana with a vital food source. Threats to this species include loss of habitat and habitat degradation, particularly the loss of cactus trees. Other threats include harvest for subsistence.

For information on conservation, management, and how the IIF is working to save this species, please see the projects section.

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