he genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his

book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa

Venena. There were formerly considered to be only two species in the genus; the green iguana,
which is widespread throughout its range and a popular pet, and the Lesser Antillean iguana, which
is native to the Lesser Antilles; however, genetic analysis indicates that the green iguana may
comprise a species complex of multiple species, some of which have been recently described. [3]
The word "iguana" is derived from the original Taino name for the species, iwanana.[4] In addition to
the two species in the genus Iguana, several other related genera in the same family have common
names of the species including the word "iguana".