Marine Iguana

The marine iguana, also known as the sea iguana, saltwater iguana or Galapagos marine iguana, is a species of iguana found only on the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. Unique among modern lizards, it is a marine reptile able to forage in the sea for algae, which make up almost all of its diet, and it is the only extant lizard that spends time in a marine environment; large males dive to find food while females and smaller males feed during low tide in the intertidal zone. Marine iguanas mainly live in colonies on rocky shores, basking after visiting the cold water or intertidal zone, though they can also be found in marshes, mangrove swamps and beaches, with large males defending territories for a short period while smaller males pursue other breeding strategies; after mating, the female digs a nest hole in the soil to lay her eggs, leaving them to hatch on their own months later.