Morphology of the femoral glands of the lizard Iguana iguana (linnaeus, 1758) (reptilia, iguanidae)

Ferreira, Adelina

Femoral glands are specializations of the epidermis existing in certain lizards, and often used in the groups taxonomy and systematic classification. Its aim is to expand knowledge of these glands, especially in terms of their morphology. Adult male Iguana iguana individuals were collected in the Pantanal region, Brazil, between November 1998 and July 1999, and the glands analyzed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The femoral gland of the I. iguana consists of three regions: a basal secretory, a secretion channel and pore. It is tubular, ramified and holocrine. They do not seem to present variations in their morphology over the course of the year. key words: Lizard. Iguana iguana. Femoral glands. Morphology. Pantanal region. Brazil.