''Microlophus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of tropidurid lizards native to South America. Around 20

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

are recognized and 10 of these are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the

Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands (Spanish: , , ) are an archipelago of volcanic islands. They are distributed on each side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, and are part of the Republic of Ecuador ...

, where they are commonly known as lava lizardsBenavides E, Baum R, Snell HM, Snell HL, Sites JW Jr (2009)
"Island Biogeography of Galápagos Lava Lizards (Tropiduridae: ''Microlophus''): Species Diversity and Colonization of the Archipelago".
(.pdf) ''Evolution'' 63 (6): 1606–1626. (they are sometimes placed in ''

Tropidurus ''Tropidurus'' is a genus of reptiles. The genus includes many species of Neotropical ground lizards (family Tropiduridae). ''Tropidurus'' is the type genus of the family Tropiduridae. Geographic range and habitat Species in the genus ''Tropi ...

'' instead). The remaining, which often are called Pacific iguanas, are found in the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

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 In evolutionary biology, adaptive radiation is a process in which organisms diversify rapidly from an ancestral species into a multitude of new forms, particularly when a change in the environment makes new resources available, alters biotic int ...

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

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

s. 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 Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or un ...

are darker than ones that live in lighter, sandy environments.

Species

Listed alphabetically by specific name.''Microlophus''
The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. (* endemic to the Galapágos Islands). *'' Microlophus albemarlensis'' – Galápagos lava lizard* *'' Microlophus arenarius'' *'' Microlophus atacamensis'' – Atacamen Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus barringtonensis'' – Santa Fe lava lizard* *'' Microlophus bivittatus'' – San Cristóbal lava lizard* *'' Microlophus delanonis'' – Española lava lizard or Hood lava lizard* *'' Microlophus duncanensis'' – Pinzón lava lizard* *'' Microlophus grayii'' – Floreana lava lizard* *'' Microlophus habelii'' – Marchena lava lizard* *'' Microlophus heterolepis'' *'' Microlophus indefatigabilis'' – Santa Cruz lava lizard * *'' Microlophus jacobii'' Santiago lava lizard * *'' Microlophus koepckeorum'' – Frost's iguana *'' Microlophus occipitalis'' – knobbed Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus pacificus'' – Pinta lava lizard or common Pacific iguana* *'' Microlophus peruvianus'' – Peru Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus quadrivittatus'' – four-banded Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus tarapacensis'' – Tarapaca Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus theresiae'' – Theresia's Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus theresioides'' – ''corredor de pica'' (in Spanish) *'' Microlophus thoracicus'' – Tschudi's Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus tigris'' – tiger Pacific iguana *'' Microlophus yanezi'' – Yanez's lava lizard ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Microlophus''.

Species

References

External links

Further reading