Marine iguanas are the only lizards on Earth that spends time in the ocean. They live only on the Galapagos Islands, and like many Galapagos species, they have adapted to an island lifestyle. Populations across the archipelago have been isolated from each other for so long that each island has its own subspecies.
As a result of their very small geographic area, marine iguanas are thought to be vulnerable to extinction. They have complete legal protection in the Galapagos Islands, but invasive species continue to threaten subspecies on some islands. Cats, dogs, pigs, germs, and other species brought to the islands by humans attack marine iguana eggs and juveniles. It is very difficult to eradicate invasive species from islands, so this problem is likely to continue to threaten marine iguana populations.
Marine iguanas typically spend only a few minutes underwater eating but can spend up to 30 minutes at a time submerged. Male marine iguanas can grow to 4.3 feet (1.3 m) long, while females are generally about 2 feet (0.6 m) long. Marine iguanas “sneeze out” excess salt their body collects while underwater through a nasal gland. It is believed that around 4.5 million years ago, marine iguanas evolved from land iguanas that were brought to the Galapagos and adapted to a sea-faring life in order to survive on the islands.
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