The green thornytail iguana (''Uracentron azureum'') is an arboreal species of lizard from the
Amazon rainforest and forests in the
Guiana Shield
The Guiana Shield (french: Plateau des Guyanes, Bouclier guyanais; nl, Hoogland van Guyana, Guianaschild; pt, Planalto das Guianas, Escudo das Guianas; es, Escudo guayanés) is one of the three cratons of the South American Plate. It is a ...
. It is found in
Colombia,
Guyana,
Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
,
French Guiana
French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...
, northeastern
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, southern
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...
, and northern
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
[''Uracentron azureum'']
Reptile Database[Avila-Pires (1995). ''Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata).'' Zoologische Verhandelingen 299(1): 1-706] In addition to the
nominate subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all spec ...
from the northeastern part of its range, it has two subspecies: the southwestern ''T. a. guentheri'' and the northwestern ''T. a. werneri''.
[ It can reach about in snout–vent length, has a relatively short, spiny tail, and is overall green with black spots and bands.][ As in '' U. flaviceps'' (the only other species in the genus), ''U. azureum'' primarily feeds on ants.][
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3022870
Reptiles of Brazil
Reptiles of Colombia
Reptiles of French Guiana
Reptiles of Guyana
Reptiles of Peru
Reptiles of Suriname
Reptiles of Venezuela
Uracentron
Reptiles described in 1758
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus