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Description
Club-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura quinquecarinata)
Scientific Name: Ctenosaura quinquecarinata
Common Name: Club-tailed Iguana, Five-keeled Spiny-tailed Iguana
Species Overview
Size: Adults typically reach 10–14 inches (25–35 cm) in total length, making this one of the smaller members of the Ctenosaura genus. The tail accounts for more than half the body length.
Appearance: Club-tailed Iguanas are compact, robust lizards with a distinctive thick, spiny tail that ends in a hardened, club-like tip. Their scales are sharply keeled, giving them a coarse texture. Colouration ranges from grey to brown with darker banding across the back and tail. Some individuals show faint green or tan highlights, especially along the flanks. Males may develop slightly broader heads and more intense pattern contrast.
Distribution: Native to parts of Central America, including Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador.
Habitat: This species inhabits dry forests, thorn scrub, rocky slopes, and areas with abundant crevices for shelter. They favour warm, arid microhabitats and often take refuge in burrows, tree hollows, or loose stone piles.
Behaviour: Club-tailed Iguanas are diurnal, wary, and extremely fast. Their powerful, spiny tail serves both as a defensive weapon and a deterrent against predators. They are omnivorous, feeding on insects, vegetation, fallen fruit, and occasionally small vertebrates. They are alert climbers but spend much of their time near the ground.
Captive Care
Enclosure: Provide an enclosure at least 36 inches × 18 inches × 18 inches (90 × 45 × 45 cm) for an adult. Include stacked rocks, cork bark tubes, branches, and solid hiding options. A dry, sandy-soil substrate (dry on top but able to retain some moisture deeper down) supports digging and stable humidity zones.
Temperature and Humidity:
Basking area: 105–115°F (40–46°C)
Ambient temperature: 85–90°F (29–32°C)
Night temperatures: 70–75°F (21–24°C)
Maintain low to moderate humidity (40–60%), with a slightly more humid hide to support shedding.
Lighting: Provide strong full-spectrum lighting with high UVB (10–12%). Bright, intense lighting encourages natural basking and helps maintain vibrant coloration and healthy bone development.
Diet: Offer a mixed omnivorous diet including crickets, roaches, mealworms, black soldier fly larvae, chopped greens, grated vegetables, and seasonal fruit. Adults benefit from a higher plant content, while juveniles should receive more insects. Use calcium and multivitamin supplements regularly.
Behaviour in Captivity: Club-tailed Iguanas are active, alert, and often shy around people. They warm up to routine but generally dislike handling. They enjoy climbing, basking on elevated rocks, and digging shallow burrows. Secure cage design is essential due to their speed and strength.
Special Considerations: Provide visual barriers and ample hiding sites to reduce stress. Their spiny tail can cause injury if handled improperly, so restraint should be minimal. A basking area with high heat output is crucial for proper digestion and overall health.
Taxonomy Note
The Club-tailed Iguana belongs to the family Iguanidae and the genus Ctenosaura, a group of fast-moving spiny-tailed iguanas found throughout Central America. Ctenosaura quinquecarinata is one of the smaller and less commonly kept species but is notable for its distinctive club-like tail and compact, rugged build.
Genetics Note
There are no recognized morphs for the Club-tailed Iguana. Natural variation occurs in body colour tone, banding intensity, and tail spine prominence, but these differences represent regional and individual variation rather than selectively bred traits.