Microlophus albemarlensis

Microlophus albemarlensis

Galápagos lava lizard, Albemarle lava lizard

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Microlophus albemarlensis
Length
17-25
6.7-9.8
cminch
cm inch 

Microlophus albemarlensis, the Galápagos lava lizard, also known as the Albemarle lava lizard, is a species of lava lizard. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, where it occurs on several islands in the western archipelago: the large islands Isabela, Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Santiago and Santa Fe, as well as several smaller islands: Seymour, Baltra, Plaza Sur, Daphne Major and Rábida. It is the most widespread of the Galápagos species of Microlophus, the others only occurring on single islands. Some authors however, consider populations on Santiago, Santa Cruz, and Santa Fe (and associated small islands) to be distinct species (M. jacobi, M. indefatigabilis and M. barringtonensis, respectively). The species is commonly attributed to the genus Microlophus but has been historically placed in the genus Tropidurus.

Di

Diurnal

Ca

Carnivore

In

Insectivores

Zo

Zoochory

Is

Island endemic

Te

Terrestrial

Te

Territorial

Ov

Oviparous

Pr

Precocial

Bu

Burrowing

Po

Polygynandry

Po

Polygamy

M

starts with

Appearance

Galapagos Lava Lizards are generally small, ranging from 4-7 inches long. Males are around 6-7 inches long, while females range from 4-7 inches. However, they have been known to grow up to as long as a foot in length. Their tail is often as long or longer than their actual body. Their bodies are characterized by the slimness, pointed heads, and long tails. Their colors range depending on sex; males are generally more brightly colored, with yellow and gold stripes, while females can be recognized by a red marking on their throat and head. Habitat has an enormous impact on appearance of the Galapagos Lava Lizard. Lava Lizards have regenerative tails, which is useful as one of their protection mechanisms because they are capable of dropping their tails; However, they rarely grow back to their original length, but this mechanism does allow them to escape predation.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Countries
Islands
Biogeographical realms

The Galapagos Lava Lizard inhabits the Galapagos islands and is a prime example of Darwin’s Natural Selection. The Galapagos Islands are a chain of islands in the Eastern Pacific, formed of lava piled and scattered volcanoes. They are located on both sides of the equator, making the Galapagos lava lizard a bi-hemisphere inhabitant. The climate on these islands is tropical and semi-arid, providing ideal conditions for these lizards to thrive. Each island is home to a certain variant of lizard. Their habitat must have sun shelter and dry leaves as well as rocks, so they can sunbathe and hide (two typical behaviors of the Lava Lizard). This implies a dry, lowland area where soil is loose and dry leaf litter is common so that they can bury and stay cool at night. They also must have enough food resources around their home, such as contain plants, seeds, arthropods, and flowers.

Microlophus albemarlensis habitat map

Climate zones

Microlophus albemarlensis habitat map
Microlophus albemarlensis
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Diet and Nutrition

Galápagos lava lizards feed on insects, spiders, and other arthropods, with maggots (fly larvae), ants, and beetles being most common prey items. Around human settlements they will also consume bread crumbs, meat scraps and other litter. Fragments of leaves and flowers, as well as large seeds, have been found in the stomachs, and lizards have been observed in trees consuming freshly sprouted leaves as high as 2 m (7 ft) off the ground.

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The Galapagos Lava Lizard is classified as an omnivore; however, they mostly indulge in ants, spiders, months, flies, and other similar arthropods. Thus, there presence is helpful in controlling insect populations and they play a vital role in the Galapagos food chain. While most of these insects are caught from a stationary position, utilizing the sit and wait method, some lizards go digging for subsurface neuropteran and beetle larvae. This digging occurs as they use their head and forelegs to move soil. If found around human settlements, they feed on crumbs and scraps from human food. Lava Lizards are also thought to eat one another as well as plants and seeds during dry spells(ex: flowers). Galapagos Lava Lizard diet has been found to vary with body size; this correlation is not seen among prey body size, but rather the lizard itself. The amount of plant items in the stomachs of these lizards strongly correlates to body size and percent herbivory. No correlation was found between animal feed and body size. This correlation is observed as size effects efficiency of energy consumption. Body size does not correlate with presence of absence of predators.

A commensal relationship exists when the Lava Lizard is perched on the tails of marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) in order to eat insects attracted to these iguanas.

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Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
PREGNANCY DURATION
3 months
BABY CARRYING
1 to 4

Male Galapagos Lava Lizard’s often mate with any female that is in proximity to his territory. A male’s territory can range up to 400 square meters; in order to distinguish itself and fend off competitors, the male executes a performance classified as ‘push ups’. This performance intimidates opponents and boost the males appearance in terms of size and strength. If, on the off chance, another male feels big and strong enough, the two will compete in a push up contest. This contest does not end until there is one winner. Sometimes this means biting and tail slaps can occur if the duel occurs for too long.

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Once a male wins this competition, he can mate with a female. Breeding season typically occurs in the warm season, from November to March. Females lay around four small eggs is their burrow. The eggs incubate for around 3 months and then hatch. Infants are typically three to four centimeters. The average number of offspring is around 2 as it ranges from 1-4 inches long, making them extremely vulnerable to predators such as birds. It is essential to note the difference in maturing processes between females and males. Females reach sexual maturity as early as nine months while males mature after three years.

Before maturity, males and females are hard to distinguish. Since females mature faster, once the female has matured, it is much easier to distinguish between sexes.

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Population

Conservation

Natural predators of these lizards includes, but are not limited to, snakes, scorpions, themselves (cannibalism), hawks, and herons. The major defense mechanism used by these lizards involves dropping their tail; their tail continues to move and thus distracts their predators while the actual lizard will camouflage or flee. In terms of conservation status, it is clear they are not under immediate threat; however, global warming and human habitat destruction have the chance to change this.Humans should be mindful of their pets if they live in a habitat that is home to Lava Lizards and also be wary of human induced destruction to the earth.A study focused on how vehicle collisions with wildlife impacts the Lava Lizard population, as Lava Lizards tend to live in areas where there could be roads running through their habitat. This study intended to aid conservation efforts as there are planned increases in road networks in areas where the Lava Lizard is most abundant. It was found that as one moves away from the road, around 100m away, there is an increase in Lizard population by 30%. Roadkill lizards were also studied, and it was found that 71% of lizards suffered tail loss from vehicles. This statistic emphasizes the need to reconsider the effects of modernization of nature as it could negatively impact several species.

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Moreover, climate change is a significant threat to the Galapagos Lava Lizard population. People are encouraged to educate themselves regarding the impacts of human actions of environmental status in various locations as these impacts widely differ depending on continent, hemisphere, etc.

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References

1. Microlophus albemarlensis Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microlophus_albemarlensis
2. Microlophus albemarlensis on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/177934/1499883

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