Campeche spiny-tailed iguana

Description

The Campeche spiny-tailed iguana (Cachryx alfredschmidti) is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. The species is native to southeastern Mexico and adjacent Guatemala. The specific name, alfredschmidti, is in honor of German herpetoculturist Alfred Schmidt. Adult males of C. alfredschmidti reach at least 170 mm (6.7 in) and females 152 mm (6.0 in) in snout-to-vent length (SVL). Tail length varies from 74 % to 85% SVL. C. alfredschmidti was thought to be endemic to southern Campeche in Mexico. However, in 2003, this species was also recorded by a scientific expedition to the Mirador-Río Azul National Park in the Petén Department in Northern Guatemala. This was the first record in Guatemala's herpetofauna for this species. The natural habitat of C. alfredschmidti is tropical moist lowland forest and seasonally flooded scrub forest. C. alfredschmidti is arboreal. It can find safety in hollow branches and tree trunks, blocking the entrance with its spiny tail. Fecal samples suggests that the diet of C. alfredschmidti consists of leaves, though it probably will eat arthropods too. Cachryx is a genus of lizards in the family Iguanidae.