Laemanctus longipes
Encyclopedia
The Eastern casquehead iguana (Laemanctus longipes) is a species
of long, thin lizard
from Central America
, especially Mexico
. It can reach 70 cm (27½ inches) in total length, two thirds of which is a thin tail. Rather slow, it sits on trees and bushes above water courses, licking water drops on leaves and catching insects that walk nearby. Sexual dimorphism
is difficult to observe. Males have a somewhat thicker tail root than females, and the hemipenes are sometimes visible when lifting the tail gently. Laemanctus live individually, or in a territory with one male and one to three females. Usually, however, males and females only meet for mating, which can happen several times per year.
are recognized.
These lizards are sometimes bred in captivity
, but they are not good terrarium companions for beginners as they quickly and often dehydrate
. Daily misting or a water-dropping system is essential. Temperatures should range between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius during day, and between 20 and 23 during night. Humidity should range between 70 and 90%. They are great cricket
eaters and should receive at least 4-5 adult crickets every day. They also need UVA
and UVB lighting and an additional vitamin and calcium
feed once a week.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of long, thin lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
from Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, especially Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It can reach 70 cm (27½ inches) in total length, two thirds of which is a thin tail. Rather slow, it sits on trees and bushes above water courses, licking water drops on leaves and catching insects that walk nearby. Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
is difficult to observe. Males have a somewhat thicker tail root than females, and the hemipenes are sometimes visible when lifting the tail gently. Laemanctus live individually, or in a territory with one male and one to three females. Usually, however, males and females only meet for mating, which can happen several times per year.
Subspecies
Three subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
are recognized.
- Laemanctus longipes deborrei WiegmannArend Friedrich August WiegmannArend Friedrich August Wiegmann was a German zoologist. He studied medicine and philology at the University of Leipzig, and afterwards was an assistant to Martin Lichtenstein in Berlin...
, 1834 - Laemanctus longipes longipes BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1877 - Laemanctus longipes waltersi SchmidtKarl Patterson SchmidtKarl Patterson Schmidt was an American herpetologist.-Biography:Schmidt was the son of George W. Schmidt and Margaret Patterson Schmidt. Schmidt's father was a German professor who, at the time of Schmidt's birth, was teaching in Lake Forest, Illinois. His family left the city in 1907 and settled...
, 1933
Captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
, but they are not good terrarium companions for beginners as they quickly and often dehydrate
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
. Daily misting or a water-dropping system is essential. Temperatures should range between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius during day, and between 20 and 23 during night. Humidity should range between 70 and 90%. They are great cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
eaters and should receive at least 4-5 adult crickets every day. They also need UVA
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
and UVB lighting and an additional vitamin and calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
feed once a week.