Cyclura cychlura inornata
| Allen Cays rock iguana | |
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| Cyclura cychlura inornata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Iguanidae |
| Genus: | Cyclura |
| Species: | C. cychlura |
| Subspecies: | C. c. inornata |
| Trinomial name | |
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Cyclura cychlura inornata Barbour & Noble, 1916 |
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The Allen Cays rock iguana or Allen Cays iguana (Cyclura cychlura inornata) is an endangered subspecies of the northern Bahamian rock iguana that is found on Allen's Cay in the Bahamas. Its status is Endangered, with a wild population of 1,000 animals, and it can be found on the IUCN Red List.
The Allen Cays rock iguana, Cyclura cychlura inornata, is endemic to Leaf Cay and southwest Allen's Cay in the northern Exuma Island chain in the Bahamas. It is one of three subspecies of the Northern Bahamian rock iguana, the others being the Andros Island iguana (Cyclura cychlura cychlura) and the Exuma Island iguana (Cyclura cychlura figginsi). Its generic name (Cyclura) is derived from the Ancient Greek cyclos (κύκλος) meaning "circular" and ourá (οὐρά) meaning "tail", after the thick-ringed tail characteristic of all Cyclura species.
The Allen Cays rock iguana is a large rock iguana which attains a total length of close to 1.5 meters. Its coloration is dark-gray to black, with yellowish green or orange tinged scales on the legs, dorsal crest, and the head. When the animal matures, the yellow coloration changes to a bright reddish orange color in contrast to the animals darker striped body and black feet.
This species, like other species of Cyclura, is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females, and have more prominent dorsal crests as well as larger femoral pores on their thighs, which are used to release pheromones.
Like all Cyclura species, the Allen Cays rock iguana is primarily herbivorous, consuming leaves, flowers and fruits from close to 13 different species of plant found on the cay. This diet is supplemented by eating crustaceans such as crab and handouts from tourists from sandwiches to table scraps and whatever else tourists to the islands bring. This has also caused the iguanas to lose their fear of humans and in some cases become aggressive.
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Wikipedia