Oplurus cuvieri
Encyclopedia
The Collared iguanid lizard, Oplurus cuvieri (also Collared iguana, or Madagascan collared iguana) is an arboreal Malagasy
Malagasy fauna
The fauna of Madagascar is a part of the wildlife of Madagascar.Madagascar has been an isolated island for about 70 HI million years, breaking away from Africa around 165 million years ago, then from India nearly 100 million years later...
iguana
Iguana
Iguana is a herbivorous genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena...
, the largest of six Oplurus
Oplurus
Oplurus is a genus of Malagasy iguanian lizard, most of which are rock-dwelling terrestrial species. Only Oplurus cyclurus is arboreal....
species
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...
. They are found in the western tropical forests of Madagascar and on Grand Comore Island. They have a mostly carnivorous
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
diet and their breeding is timed with the rainy season.