The marine iguana, also known as the sea iguana, saltwater iguana, or Galápagos marine iguana, is a species of iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador). Unique among modern lizards, it is a marine reptile that has the ability to forage in the sea for algae, which makes up almost all of its diet. Marine iguanas are the only extant lizard that spends time in a marine environment. Large males are able to dive to find this food source, while females and smaller males feed during low tide in the intertidal zone. They mainly live in colonies on rocky shores where they bask after visiting the relatively cold water or intertidal zone, but can also be seen in marshes, mangrove swamps and beaches. Large males defend territories for a short period, but smaller males have other breeding strategies. After mating, the female digs a nest hole in the soil where she lays her eggs, leaving them to hatch on their own a few months later.
Image: Amblyrhynchus cristatus (3838137696)
Image: Marineiguana 03
A hybrid iguana, the result of interbreeding between a marine iguana and a Galápagos land iguana
A. c. albemarlensis on Isabela Island (a synonym of A. c. cristatus based on the 2017 review)
The Iguanidae is a family of lizards composed of the iguanas, chuckwallas, and their prehistoric relatives, including the widespread green iguana.
Iguanidae
Image: Marine Iguana Espanola
Image: Fiji banded iguana in Vienna Zoo on 2013 05 12
Image: Ctenosaura defensor (6138652398)