Note: Largest Central American lizard. Males can reach 2010mm length and 4kg weight; females 1440mm and 2.9 kg.

Habitat: Lowland rainforests and dry forests. Adults usually seen in trees.

Biology: Common, diurnal, arboreal. Excellent swimmers who dive into the water to escape predators.

Food: Young are mainly herbivorous with occassion meals of insects. Adults are almost entirely herbivorous.

Note: May occur singly or in in groups of 12-20 with a clear hierarchy.

Breeding Season: Mid-November through January.

Predation: Young are preyed upon by snakes, basilisks, birds, and mammals. Adults are food for crocodiles, vultures, large hawks, and large mammals. Additionally, iguanas and their eggs are a prized food item in Latin America.

Source: Savage, Jay M. 2002. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago. 935pp.