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Description:
Description:
The marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands are so famously ugly, even Charles Darwin piled on, describing them as "hideous-looking" and "most disgusting, clumsy lizards."
It's true, they're not pretty, with their wide-set eyes, smashed-in faces, spiky dorsal scales, and knotty, salt-encrusted heads. But what these unusual creatures lack in looks they make up for with their amazing and unique ecological adaptations.
Scientists figure that land-dwelling iguanas from South America must have drifted out to sea millions of years ago on logs or other debris, eventually landing on the Galápagos. From that species emerged marine iguanas, which spread to nearly all the islands of the archipelago. Each island hosts marine iguanas of unique size, shape and color.
Habitat:
Habitat:
Galapagos marine iguanas are the world’s only marine lizards. They inhabit the Galapagos Islands, which are a few hundred miles to the west of South America, and just south of Central America. These islands are known for being a unique place, where animals have adapted and evolved very differently from the rest of the world. There, in the absence of any predators that are mammals, they have adapted well to the harsh marine environment. When they are not foraging in the sea, they spend their time basking on rocks and often several thousand individuals can be seen together on the same stretch of shore.
Diet:
Diet:
Marine Iguanas mainly feed on marine algae. Larger Iguanas dive into the sea to forage and can dive down to depths of 12 m (39 ft) and stay submerged for over an hour, however, under normal conditions they make shallow dives that usually last around 10 minutes. Smaller Iguanas do not enter the water, instead they feed on algae from the rocks in the tidal zone.
Causes of Endangerment:
Causes of Endangerment:
In the Galapagos islands, species such as cats, rats, dogs and pigs prey on marine iguanas. Thee animals are not native to the island, but were brought accidentally by researches and explorers. Since arriving on the islands, they have dramatically tipped the balance of this delicate ecosystem. They are also threatened by the impacts of climate change. Sea level and air temperature rise can affect their beach nesting habitat and the iguanas’ ability to regulate its body temperature while on land, as well as interfere with egg development.
Why it Matters:
Why it Matters:
Marine iguanas are the world’s only oceangoing lizard. They are also only found in the Galápagos, where they can be seen resting on the rocky shores.
Resources for further research:
Resources for further research:
World Wildlife Fund: Marine Iguanas
National Geographic: Marine Iguanas
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