Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Amblyrhynchus cristatus
Iguana marina, Marine Iguana






Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Sauria
Family
Iguanidae
Genus
Amblyrhynchus
Species
cristatus
Taxon category: Accepted
Recorded seven sub-species according Eibl-Eibesfeldt I. 1962: A.c. cristatus, Bell 1825, A.c. hassi, A.c. albemarlensis, A.c. mertensi, A.c. sielmanni, A.c. nanus, Garman 1892, A.c. venustissimus, Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1956, but there are in discussion.
Origin: Endemic
Distribution: Endemic to an estimated 275 km2 area in Galápagos, Ecuador. Marine iguanas occur on coastal areas of all major islands and most of their surrounding islets.
- Jiménez-Uzcátegui, G. Milstead, B., Márquez, C., Zabala, J., Buitrón, P., Llerena, A., et al. (2007) Galapagos vertebrates: endangered status and conservation actions. Galapagos Report 2006–2007. Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, p. 104–110.
- Carrillo, E. Aldás, S., Altamirano, M.A., Ayala-Varela, F., Cisneros-Heredia, D.F., Endara, A., Márquez, C., Morales, M., Nogales-Sornosa, F., Salvador, P., Torres, M.L., Valencia, J., Villamarín-Jurado, F., Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. & Zárate, P. (2005) Lista Roja de los Reptiles del Ecuador. Fundación Novum Milenium, UICN-Sur, UICN-Comité Ecuatoriano, Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Serie Proyecto PEEPE. Quito, 46 pp.
- Garman, S. (1892) The reptiles of the Galapagos Islands. From the collections of Dr. George Baur. Bulletin Essex Inst. 24: 73-87.
- Slevin, J.R. (1935) An account of the reptiles inhabiting the Galápagos Islands. Bulletin New York Zoological Society 38: 1-24.
- Bataille, A. Cunningham, A.A., Cedeño, V., Patiño, L., Constantinou, A., Kramer, L.D. & Goodman, S.J. (2009) Natural colonization and adaptation of a mosquito species in Galápagos and its implications for disease threats to endemic wildlife. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106(25): 10230-10235.
- Van Denburgh, J. Slevin, J.R. (1913) The Galapagoan lizards of the genus Tropidurus, with notes on the iguanas of the genera Conolophus and Amblyrhynchus. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 2(1): 133-202, pls. 8-11.
- Wikelski, M. (1999) Influences of parasites and thermoregulation on grouping tendencies in marine iguanas. Behavioral Ecology 10(1): 22-29.
- Hickin, N. (1979) Animal life of the Galapagos. Ferundune Books, Faringdon, U.K., 236 pp.
- Bisconti, M. Landini, W., Bianucci, G., Cantalamessa, G., Carnevale, G. Ragaini, L. & Valleri, G. (2001) Biogeographic relationships of the Galapagos terrestrial biota: parsimony analyses of endemicity based on reptiles, land birds and Scalesia land plants. J. Biogeogr. 28: 495-510.
- Trillmich, F. (1992) Conservation problems on Galápagos: the showcase of evolution in danger. Naturwissenschaften 79: 1-6.
- Amadon, D. (1965) Notes on the Galapagos hawk. L'Oiseau Revue Française Ornithologie 35 (Spécial).
- Eibl-Eibesfeldt, I. (1962) Neue Unterarten der Meereohse. Amblyrhynchus cristatus, nebst weiteren Angaben zur Biologie der Art. Senckenbergiana Biologica 43: 177-199.
- Eibl-Eibesfeldt I. (1956) Eine neue Rasse der Meerechse, Amblyrhynchus cristatus venustissimus, nebst einigen Bemerkungen uber Amblyrhynchus cristatus cristatus. Senckenbergiana Biologica 37: 87-100.
- Rassmann, K. Tautz, D., Trillmich, F., Gliddon, C. (1997) The microevolution of the Galápagos marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus assessed by nuclear and mitochondrial genetic analyses Molecular Ecology 6:437-452.
- Hong, P.Y. Wheeler, E., Cann, I.KO., Mackie, R.I. (2011) Phylogenetic analysis of the fecal microbial community in herbivorous land and marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands using 16S rRNA-based pyrosequencing The ISME Journal 5:1461-1470.
- Eibl-Eibesfeldt I. (1962) Neue Unterarten der Meereohse. Amblyrhynchus cristatus, nebst weiteren Angaben zur Biologie der Art. Senckenbergiana Biologica 43: 177-199.
- Eibl-Eibesfeldt I. (1962) New observations on marine lizards Amblyrhynchus cristatus Charles Darwin report, 5pp.
- Snell, H.L. Márquez, C (2002) Iguanas marinas. En: Reserva marina de Galápagos. Línea base de la biodiversidad. Danulat, E. & G.J. Edgar (eds.). Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador. pp. 324-342.
- Arteaga, A. Bustamante, L., Vierira, J., Tapia, W., Guayasamin, J.M. (2019) Reptiles of the Galapagos Life on the Enchanted Islands Tropical Herping
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This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Amblyrhynchus cristatus", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=5258/1000. Accessed 25 April 2025.