0 a large greyish-green lizard of tropical America --
1 a large, gray-and-green lizard (= animal) --
Local fauna includes coyotes, deer, raccoons, rabbits and other small mammals, as well as iguanas and lizards, which have been disappearing under pressure from hunting.
Hatchlings are preyed upon as they travel across the beach to the water by vultures, frigate birds, crabs, raccoons, coyotes, iguanas, and snakes.
Wildlife include deer, tiger, coyote and fox, coral snake and iguana.
What makes this iguana stand out from the other two subspecies is the scalation on its neck and head.
Similar to the marine iguana, it has the ability to swim for short distances, although this is not related to its feeding habits.
But, unlike the marine iguana, which feeds on algae, the placodonts ate molluscs and so their teeth were flat and tough to crush their shells.
Common recipes for the iguana include stews ("guisado"), pozole, birria, roasted in tacos and flautas, roasted and finished with mole, and even sauteed with almonds.
By contrast, green iguanas have used floating debris to colonise new islands, showing that resilience and adaptability are the key to survival.
