Marine Iguana

Description:

Taken at Punta Espinosa on Fernandina. The first photo is a lava lizard on the head of a marine iguana, and the second is a group basking in the morning sun. The white "crust" is actually salt. After feeding on algae in the ocean, the will "sneeze" the salt water out of glands on their heads.

Habitat:

Coastal areas of all of the main islands.

Notes:

Species is endemic to the Galápagos, and is the only sea-going lizard in the world.