Marine Iguana: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Lizards · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. No other lizard alive today feeds in the sea. The marine iguana grazes on algae, and they are nearly its whole diet.
2. A marine iguana can dive down to 30 m and stay under the water for up to an hour.
3. On some islands, males wear bright pinkish-red and turquoise markings. They are the most colourful marine iguanas.
4. To threaten a rival, a male bobs his head, walks on stiff legs, raises his spiny crest and opens his mouth.
5. Newly hatched iguanas mainly eat the feces of bigger marine iguanas. That gives them the bacteria needed to digest algae.

The quiz

1. What makes up almost all of a marine iguana's diet?

• Algae (correct)
• Small crabs
• Fish
• Cactus pads

Algae make up almost all of its diet.

2. How long can a marine iguana stay underwater?

• Up to one minute
• Up to one hour (correct)
• Up to ten minutes
• Up to six hours

It can dive down to 30 m and stay underwater for up to an hour.

3. Which colours mark the most colourful males?

• Yellow and black
• Green and white
• Pinkish-red and turquoise (correct)
• Orange and blue stripes

The most colourful males have bright pinkish-red and turquoise markings.

4. How does a male threaten another male?

• By hissing from the water
• By drumming on the rocks
• By swishing his tail only
• By bobbing his head and raising his crest (correct)

A male bobs his head, walks on stiff legs, raises his crest and opens his mouth.

5. What do hatchlings eat to gain bacteria for digesting algae?

• Feces of larger iguanas (correct)
• Sand
• Fish scraps
• Their eggshells

In their first months, young iguanas eat the droppings of bigger iguanas, which gives them the bacteria to digest algae.

More about the Marine Iguana

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries