Marine Iguana
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptillia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Iguanidae
Genus: Amblyrhynchys
Species: cristatus
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptillia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Iguanidae
Genus: Amblyrhynchys
Species: cristatus
Marine iguanas can only be found on the Galapagos Islands archipelago off the coast of South America. Their population is not well known and they are protected since they are considered vulnerable to extinction. Its gray to black body with spiky dorsal scales has lengths that reach 4 to 5 ft. Charles Darwin describes them as “hideous-looking” and “most disgusting clumsy lizards”. Male iguanas appear to be more brightly colored than the females. Iguanas spend most of their time basking in the sun, like most of other cold-blooded animals. They can be found on rocky shore, mangrove swamps, and beaches.
Iguanas have to maintain their body temperature according to the environment. They need to raise body temperature up to 36 degree Celsius before feeding. Their dark color helps to absorb sunlight to warm their bodies. Marine iguanas are herbivore; they feed on marine algae and seaweed. Hawks, snakes, short-eared owls, crabs, rats, feral dogs and cats are their predators. Female marine iguanas are at higher risk of predation during breeding. Adult iguanas and their eggs are preyed by those predators. What’s unique from this marine reptile is that they sneeze many times in order to remove salt from glands near their nose. And usually the salt lands on their head, which makes them like they are having white wig.
Written by: Dea Ghaniya
Iguanas have to maintain their body temperature according to the environment. They need to raise body temperature up to 36 degree Celsius before feeding. Their dark color helps to absorb sunlight to warm their bodies. Marine iguanas are herbivore; they feed on marine algae and seaweed. Hawks, snakes, short-eared owls, crabs, rats, feral dogs and cats are their predators. Female marine iguanas are at higher risk of predation during breeding. Adult iguanas and their eggs are preyed by those predators. What’s unique from this marine reptile is that they sneeze many times in order to remove salt from glands near their nose. And usually the salt lands on their head, which makes them like they are having white wig.
Written by: Dea Ghaniya