Marine Iguana(Amblyrhynchus cristatus)

ClassificationKingdom: Animalia (animal)Phylum: Chordata (chordate animals)Subphylum: Vertebrata (vertebrate animals)Class: Reptilia (reptile)Order: Squamata (large horny scales)Family: Iguanidae (new world lizards)Species: Amblyrhynchus cristatus (marine

iguana)

DescriptionThis lizard is a completely harmless animal

that needs a marine environment to survive. The females are a grey to black color, and

the males may have a reddish color to them. Their dorsal scales are pyramid shaped, they have a short, blunt nose, and a compressed tail. They have special glands on their head, which removes the extra salt that has been ingested while feeding. This is why there is usually a white mark on the top of its head.

RegionThe Galapagos Islands are inhabited by this iguana. It’s thought that land iguanas from South America somehow got transported to these islands, and they had to adapt to the marine environment, changing them into what they are today.

=Marine Iguana Region

GrowthThe males are typically larger than the

females, but not by much. They average around 4-5 feet long, but almost half of that length is tail.

ReproductionThese animals reproduce sexually. During the

annual three month mating season, the male protects the mating territories. Females lay 1-

6 eggs in a burrow dug into the sand or volcanic ash on the ground. Females guard their nest for a few days, but then leave for

the final 95 days of incubation.

Organization

The marine iguana is a vertebrate animal, so it has a backbone. They breathe through lungs, but can hold their breath for about five minutes to get their food from the bottom of the ocean. They have razor sharp teeth, a somewhat flat tail,

and long, sharp claws.

ResponseMarine iguanas need to live by salt water to survive, and by sand to lay its eggs. It needs to go to the bottom of the ocean for food, and because

the ocean waters are so cold, it needs to bask in the sun for a long time to get its body heat back to

normal.

Meeting Their Needs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO_9zm9tsCs

These creatures eat green and red algae off of the rocks at the bottom of the ocean. The blunt noses and the

razor sharp teeth on this animal help it to better scrape the off the algae for

them to eat. The laterally flattened tail on these iguanas allow them to move underwater like a crocodile. The long, sharp claws keeps them attached to

rocks in strong currents and to rocks on shore.

Compare and ContrastThis animal is different from all other lizards

because of its ability and need to be in water. This is an important adaptation,

since it lives in a marine environment with no access to other land. It is the same,

though, because even though the reproduction and organization may be slightly different, it’s something that all reptiles share. It has a better structured body than invertebrates, which also has

many benefits.

• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Amblyrhynchus_cristatus.html

• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/marine-iguana/