Head to head
Lesser Antillean Iguana vs Green Iguana
Lesser Antillean Iguana
VS Green Iguana
The Lesser Antillean iguana and green iguana are two members of the genus Iguana whose ranges meet in the Caribbean, with very different results for the native species.
| Lesser Antillean Iguana | Green Iguana | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Iguana delicatissima | Iguana iguana |
| Relationship | A close relative of the green iguana, in the same genus | A close relative of the Lesser Antillean iguana, in the same genus |
| Size | A body of around 40 cm, with a total length of more than a metre | 1.5 to 2 metres including the tail, with large males over 6 kg |
| Look | Grey to green, with dark banding on the tail, a large round scale on each cheek, and no strong stripes | Usually a brighter green, with a large throat flap used for display and heat regulation |
| Diet | The leaves, flowers, and fruit of dry-forest trees and shrubs | Leaves, flowers, and fruit, with a specialised hindgut that ferments the fibre |
| Range | Dry coastal forest and scrub on a few islands of the northern and central Lesser Antilles | Native from Mexico through Central America to Paraguay and the Caribbean, and introduced and invasive in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico |
| Relationship in the Caribbean | Breeds with the invasive green iguana, producing hybrids and swamping the native species | Arrived on the Lesser Antilles on boats and debris, and displaces the native iguana by hybridising with it |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, and decreasing | Least Concern |
Lesser Antillean Iguana vs Green Iguana: common questions
Why is the Lesser Antillean iguana Critically Endangered?
It breeds with the invasive green iguana, which is swamping the native species, and is also threatened by hunting and introduced predators.
Is the green iguana a pest?
In places such as Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico it is an invasive pest, though it is Least Concern in its native range.
How can you tell them apart?
The Lesser Antillean iguana is greyer, with a large, round scale on each cheek, while the green iguana is usually a brighter green.