Image by derekkeats via Flickr
When people think about the Galapagos Islands, Charles Darwin typically comes to mind. He conducted vast amounts of research on the various animal species native to this region. Also endemic to this region is the Galapagos marine iguana. Iguanas typically live on land, so this particular iguana is truly unique and worth observing.
Distinct from Other Iguanas
The marine iguana lives only in the Galapagos Islands and is considered a marine reptile. Iguanas, otherwise referred to as lizards, typically thrive in hot and dry environments. The marine iguana, on the other hand, dives many feet into the sea to find marine algae and lives on the rocks by the ocean.
Its Appearance
Charles Darwin was unimpressed by the marine iguana’s physical appearance. He wrote about its black color and compared it to the unattractive rocks by the ocean. The marine iguana does also come in other colors. Some are seen with a lighter striped coloring and grey varieties also exist. Their faces can also look white due to the salt from their nasal glands.
Its Habits
Marine iguanas are strong swimmers and are able to adhere closely to the rocks as they emerge from the water due to their claws. The shape of the marine iguana’s tail and its fin spikes allow it to withstand fierce water currents and stay close enough to the shore.
The marine iguana can stay in the water for half hour stretches, but after such an extensive time in the water, it must regain its warmth by lying on the black rocks. Cold weather makes the marine iguana slower in its movements, which makes it more defensive and prone to biting other creatures.






