Description:
Scientific name: Iguana iguana melanoderma
Life span: Unknown
The Saban black iguana has a deeper shade of color as it ages compared to the other green iguana subspecies. It has a distinct black patch between the eye and tympanum, a black dewlap, prominent dorsal spikes, and no horns on the snout. Although described as being darker than other subspecies, the Saban black iguana only partially melanizes as adults, according to a recent population assessment of the Saba population. All iguanas possessed a black face patch between the tympanum and eye, despite the fact that many only developed partial melanization.
Native Region/Habitat
The subspecies exhibits a distribution that is extremely unusually discontinuous, as was suggested in the original article. Member populations can be found in the Caribbean islands of Montserrat, Saba, the Virgin Islands, Vieques, and northern Venezuela, including a number of coastal islets and the area around Cumaná on the mainland. The distribution on the mainland has not been clearly defined. Several authors have described seeing iguanas, but no specimens have been collected, and no fossils have been located. A news story stated that it is thought the species was also present on Redonda, however this was not addressed in the original paper.
Behavior:
Black iguanas are sociable, possessive creatures that live in groups. They are active all day long.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
The pet trade, unsustainable hunting for food, competition with escaped or released non-native iguana subspecies from the mainland, and hybridization have all been cited as threats to this subspecies. Iguanas from Saba have been illegally exported, trafficked, and now are being sold as pets in several nations across the world thanks to fictitious CITES licenses.
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