Microlophus
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Microlophus is a genus of tropidurid lizards native to South America. Around 20 species are recognized and 10 of these are endemic to the Galápagos Islands,Template:Efn where they are commonly known as lava lizards<ref>Fitter, Julian; Fitter, Daniel; Hosking, David (2000). Wildlife of the Galalpagos. Updated Edition. Princeton University Press. p.94.</ref><ref name=Benavides>Benavides, Edgar; Baum, Rebecca; Snell, Heidi M.; Snell, Howard L.; Sites, Jack W., Jr. (2009). "Island Biogeography of Galápagos Lava Lizards (Tropiduridae: Microlophus): Species Diversity and Colonization of the Archipelago". Template:Webarchive (.pdf) Evolution 63 (6): 1606–1626.</ref> (they are sometimes placed in Tropidurus instead). The remaining, which often are called Pacific iguanas, are found in the Andes and along the Pacific coasts 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 the 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 that live in lighter, sandy environments.
SpeciesEdit
Listed alphabetically by specific name.<ref>Microlophus. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.</ref> (* endemic to the Galapágos Islands).
- Microlophus albemarlensis Template:Small – Galápagos lava lizard*
- Microlophus arenarius Template:Small
- Microlophus atacamensis Template:Small – Atacamen Pacific iguana
- Microlophus barringtonensis Template:Small – Santa Fe lava lizard*
- Microlophus bivittatus Template:Small – San Cristóbal lava lizard*
- Microlophus delanonis Template:Small – Española lava lizard or Hood lava lizard*
- Microlophus duncanensis Template:Small – Pinzón lava lizard*
- Microlophus grayii Template:Small – Floreana lava lizard*
- Microlophus habelii Template:Small – Marchena lava lizard*
- Microlophus heterolepis Template:Small
- Microlophus indefatigabilis Template:Small – Santa Cruz lava lizard *
- Microlophus jacobii Template:Small Santiago lava lizard *
- Microlophus koepckeorum Template:Small – Frost's iguana
- Microlophus occipitalis Template:Small – knobbed Pacific iguana
- Microlophus pacificus Template:Small – Pinta lava lizard or common Pacific iguana*
- Microlophus peruvianus Template:Small – Peru Pacific iguana
- Microlophus quadrivittatus Template:Small – four-banded Pacific iguana
- Microlophus tarapacensis Template:Small – Tarapaca Pacific iguana
- Microlophus theresiae Template:Small – Theresia's Pacific iguana
- Microlophus theresioides Template:Small – corredor de pica (in Spanish)
- Microlophus thoracicus Template:Small – Tschudi's Pacific iguana
- Microlophus tigris Template:Small – tiger Pacific iguana
- Microlophus yanezi Template:Small – Yanez's lava lizard
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Microlophus.
ReferencesEdit
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Further readingEdit
- Duméril AMC, Bibron G (1837). Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome quatrième [Volume 4]. Paris: Roret. ii + 571 pp. (Microlophus, new genus, pp. 334–335). (in French).