Amblyrhynchus cristatus

Introduction

The Marine Iguana is the only lizard in the world that takes to the sea.

Where Will I Find Them?

I can give you a pretty specific answer on this one because they can only be found in one place:  the Galapagos Islands off the coast of South America.  Populations are found throughout the islands and vary widely in size and colour, although they are considered to be one single species.

You will usually find them on rocky coasts and intertidal zones, although females can be found nesting up to 2km inland.

What Do They Look Like?

Generally they are grey to black in colour, although some may have coppery green or red patches.  The average length of the adult male is around 1.3 metres, while the female is a little smaller at 0.6 metres.  The main differences between the Marine Iguana and Land Iguanas are the short blunt snouts and the shape of the tail, which is squished slightly to help the animal navigate in the water.

What Do They Eat?

Marine Iguanas generally eat marine algae by diving to 2-5 metres during high tide, although they sometimes dive to depths of 20 or more meters.  Usually they only dive for a few minutes at a time, but they have been known to stay below the water for periods of more than half an hour.  Interestingly, the Marine Iguana must warm it’s body to around 36 degrees C before it eats by lying in the sun for long periods of time because when it dives in the water, it can lose as much as 10 degrees C in body heat.

What is Their Usual Behaviour?

They spend a lot of time sunbathing – lazy bums.

What is Their Conservation Status?

Marine Iguanas are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because:

“The marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. The population occurs as ten subpopulations on separate islands in the range. Total extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 km² and area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 500 km². Total population size is unknown, however, El Niño effects are known to cause periodic declines in population (at least 85% mortality). In addition to this, the population is threatened by pollution (e.g., oil spills) and predation by exotic species on the islands.”

References

www.marinebio.org

Is it just me, or does this one look like it it smiling?!

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Posted in Scuba Diving by Elyse No Comments Yet