• In 1997, high ocean temperatures during a severe El NiƱo season caused failure of the seaweed beds around the Galapagos Islands and about half the marine iguanas starved to death. (wikipedia.org)
  • DNA testing by a German researcher revealed that marine iguanas were the fathers and land iguanas the mothers. (wikipedia.org)
  • However, long, narrow South Plaza Island is so small that no place on it is far from the coast, leaving female land iguanas no place to retreat from invasion by the larger, more aggressive male marine iguanas. (wikipedia.org)
  • And on South Plaza there is a slight overlap between the end of the land iguana's breeding season and the beginning of the marine iguana's, so that male marine iguanas forced inland by hunger may occasionally encounter a female land iguana that is still in breeding condition. (wikipedia.org)
  • Marine iguanas have sharp claws and are able to grip rock under seawater and eat seaweed, whereas land iguanas lack sharp claws, making them unable to climb the cacti that are their staple foods. (wikipedia.org)
  • The hybrid iguanas have a laterally compressed tail like that of the marine iguanas, though they have not been seen swimming. (wikipedia.org)
  • Hybrid iguanas are dark with light speckles or bands of mottling near the head and a banded body. (wikipedia.org)
  • 1 , 2 The Tumbesian Bush-Anole ( Polychrus femoralis ) is a medium-sized lizard characterized by its slender, laterally compressed body, leaf-green coloration, chameleon-like eyes, and exceptionally long, semi-prehensile tail. (reptilesofecuador.com)
  • A unique set of circumstances on South Plaza Island helps explain why the hybrid iguanas have been observed only there. (wikipedia.org)
  • 4 From species in the genus Anolis , it differs by being larger, having a much longer tail, and lacking expanded digital pads. (reptilesofecuador.com)