Santa Fe Land Iguana

About the Santa Fe Land Iguana

Conolophus pallidus, also known commonly as the Santa Fe land iguana and the Barrington land iguana, is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It is one of three species in the genus Conolophus and is endemic to Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos.

The species Conolophus pallidus was first described by American zoologist Edmund Heller in 1903. Some authorities have questioned whether C. pallidus is a valid species in its own right or merely a variant or subspecies of the Galapagos land iguana (C. subcristatus) found on other islands in the Galapagos.

The specific name, pallidus, is Latin for "pale", denoting its lighter coloration than C. subcristatus. The Santa Fe land iguana is similar to the Galapagos land iguana except that the Santa Fe land iguana is paler yellow with a longer more tapered snout and more pronounced dorsal spines.

The Santa Fe land iguana grows to a total length (including tail) of 0.91 m (3 ft) with a body weight of up to 11 kg (25 lb). Being cold-blooded, Conolophis pallidus absorbs heat from the sun, basking on volcanic rocks, and at night sleeps in burrows to conserve its body heat... Wikipedia →