Age and sex differences in the Ctenosaur (Ctenosaura similes)
Milwaukee Public Museum Contributions in Biology and Geology
1977
Journal Article
11
1-11
Ctenosaura similis
Adult male Ctenosaura similis are relatively large (females average 80% of their length and 55.6% of their weight) with relatively massive heads, bulging cheek muscles and elongated jaws, and a prominent middorsal polygyny and male aggression. The sexes are similar in color and pattern, but there is ontogenetic change from finely reticulate cryptic markings in the terrestrial and nomadic hatchling to bright green in the scansorial juvenile and finally to a dark-banded pattern in the relatively sedentary adult. Relative tail length is progressively reduced from more than 220% of snout-vent in hatchling to 50% in old adults.