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Photo.Keely | all galleries >> Galleries >> Favourites > Española Lava Lizard (Microlophus delanonis) Female
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18-NOV-2012 Dick Keely

Española Lava Lizard (Microlophus delanonis) Female

Española Island, Galapagos Islands

The Española Lava Lizard or Hood Lava Lizard (Microlophus delanonis) is endemic to the Galapagos island of Española. The species is commonly attributed to the genus Microlophus and Microlophus is a genus of Tropidurid lizards. There are twenty two recognized species in the genus, and nine of these are endemic to the Galápagos Islands where they are popularly known as lava lizards or Pacific iguanas. The remaining are found in the Andes and along the Pacific coast of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. The distribution of the lava lizards and their variations in shape, colour and behaviour show the phenomenon of adaptive radiation so typical of the inhabitants of this archipelago. One species occurs on all the central and western islands, which were perhaps connected during periods of lower sea levels, while one species each occurs on six other more peripheral islands. All have most likely evolved from a single ancestral species. However, as usual for Tropiduridae they can change their colour individually to some extent, and members of the same species occurring in different habitats also show colour differences. Thus animals living mainly on dark lava are darker than ones which live in lighter, sandy environments. Reference Wikipedia.

Nikon D800E ,Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR AF
1/320s f/14.0 at 300.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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GeneWard28-Mar-2017 23:03
This is so unusual. I like it.
fotabug05-Jan-2013 15:38
Interesting how its head is red, sure makes it stand out. Nice shot!
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