While wandering through nature the other day, I passed an exciting hole-up in Marana. Fortunately, the occupant came out to greet me. I was delighted to meet a desert iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis.
All About the Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus comes from the Greek for thirsty lizard, while dorsalis comes from the Latin for spike. The lizard has a row of spiked scales running down the middle of the lizard’s back, a crest. These lizards have been around for a while, and they are the oldest extant member of Iguanidae from the late Eocene, about 38 million years ago. When you have a great lizard model, nature keeps it!
Desert iguanas prefer dry, sandy deserts with creosote bushes below three thousand feet. They particularly like the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. They thrive in the hot temperatures and are out when other lizards have sought cooler temperatures in their dens. When their body temperatures are above 110 degrees, they might head into their dens to cool off. They are excellent diggers with extensive burrows. They also may join a desert tortoise in its den.
Why do these lizards prefer such hot environments? Scientists believe that high temperatures help egg incubation be successful. The eggs hatch between 82 and 100 degrees. Since they only produce one clutch of 3 to 8 eggs per year, they want each one to survive.
Although primarily herbivorous, they eat buds, flowers, fruits, and leaves of many plants, preferring creosote. They also eat insects. The usual lizard predators eat them.
I have many beautiful lizards in my area, but the desert iguana is particularly striking in appearance. Of course, I am partial to members of the Iguanidae family.
If you live in the Sonoran Desert, I encourage you to get out and meet some exciting and unique reptilian neighbors. And even if you don’t you can still get to know more about Sonoran Desert animals with my engaging workbooks and picture books.
