Barbed Guinea

Barbed Guinea
	Sceloporus cyanogenys , male
Systematics
Superordinate :	Scale lizards (Lepidosauria)
Order :	Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank:	Toxicofera
without rank:	Iguana (Iguania)
Family :	Phrynosomatidae
Genre :	Barbed Guinea
Scientific name
	Sceloporus
	Wiegmann , 1828

The spiny guinea ( Sceloporus ) are the species-richest genus of the family Phrynosomatidae and occur in North and Central America.

distribution and habitat

Barbed guans are mainly native to Central and North America. Representatives of the genus Sceloporus inhabit different habitats and are mainly found on rocky terrain, but also in dry deserts, scrubland and relatively moist pine and cloud forests at an altitude of up to 3800 meters.

Way of life

The animals are predominantly terrestrial, but some species (such as Sceloporus malachiticus ) also live on trees and branches or in homes they dug themselves (such as Sceloporus magister ). The animals are ovoviviparous and primarily eat insects of all kinds, especially ants, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, crickets and the like. Also arachnids and smaller lizards, more rarely fruits and flowers are on their menu. When danger threatens, the iguanas quickly flee into crevices or rodent burrows or seek cover under bushes and tree stumps.

As with most other iguanas, the barbed iguanas hibernate - depending on the climate. The mating season extends from spring to summer. During this time, one or more clutches of up to 20 eggs are produced. To do this, the female digs a hollow in loose soil, which is closed again after the eggs have been laid.

features

Barbed guans have a pronounced sexual dimorphism . The males are generally more strongly colored; the colorations are particularly noticeable during the mating season. Females, on the other hand, are usually more simply colored. Barbed guans can reach a length of up to 30 cm. Their keeled, overlapping scales are characteristic. The head is broad and flattened, the limbs short and strong. The back legs are longer than the front legs and end in long toes with claws, which makes them good climbers.