Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Iguandidae Genus: Amblyrhynchus Species: Marine Iguana MORPHOLOGY: -powerfull limbs and claws to climb rocky surfaces -grey to black in color but during mating seasons they may have spot of a coppery green color -scales covering head to tail -bilateral symmetry BIOLOGY: -blunt noses for grazing on seaweed -latterally flattened tails for swimming VOCABULARY:
-Colony: Group of organisms living together -Endemic: Found in one particular area -Territory: Area defended by an animal or group -Intertidal: Region between the high tide mark and low tide mark -Galapagos Islands: Islands off the coast of South America |
ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE:
-They eat algae which keep the algae level lower or more stable. ECONOMICAL IMPORTANCE: -Tourism FACTS:
1- Males are larger than females 2- Labeled as VULNERABLE on the Red List 3- Often lives in colonies 4- Breeds every year over a 3 month time span 5- Excrete concentrated salt crystals by sneezing RESOURCES:
http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/41/41D0411B-C17E-47EB-8335-9A4AB8613016/Presentation.Large/Male-Galapagos-marine-iguana-ssp-albemarlensis-front-view.jpg http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/69/69F83D65-E4C7-4632-9AD9-E31A70B32DF1/Presentation.Large/Galapagos-marine-iguana-ssp-cristatus-with-lava-lizard-on-head.jpg http://cdn2.arkive.org/media/D6/D6F81793-741A-4A46-8E87-188C10B23BC3/Presentation.Large/Galapagos-marine-iguana-ssp-cristatus-swimming.jpg http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Amblyrhynchus_cristatus/#economic_importance_positive http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0411/images/galapagos_map.jpg http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/05/05BAC9CE-08C4-457F-B756-187B1FAE021A/Presentation.Large/Close-up-of-Galapagos-marine-iguana-ssp-cristatus-Fernandina-Island.jpg http://cdn2.arkive.org/media/AD/ADA0C2A3-0608-452C-8F17-9484EBD8D45F/Presentation.Large/Galapagos-marine-iguana-colony-ssp-cristatus-basking-in-sun.jpg |