Santiago Lava Lizard

About the Santiago Lava Lizard

Microlophus jacobii, the Santiago lava lizard, is a species of lava lizard in the family Tropiduridae. They are endemic to the Galapagos islands of Santiago, Bartolomé, Rábida and a few islets. They are also the only lava lizards present on these islands. This species was formerly considered a subpopulation of the Galápagos lava lizard, but is now widely considered as a distinct species.

The genus name Microlophus, meaning "small crest", refers to the small crest on the head, while jacobi refers to the Latin name of the Santiago Island, Jacobi (James). It is endemic to the islands of Santiago, Rábida, Bartolomé, and six surrounding islets in the central Galapagos archipelago. In total the entire species is estimated to only inhabit 463 km2.

Common year-round, these diurnal lizards inhabit rocky volcanic areas of their islands along with dry shrub and grassland. They usually spend the midday hours in the shade to avoid the heat. They spend the night beneath the soil, among rocks or the leaf litter. This species is known to feed on plant material such as leaves, fruit, and seeds, along with insects. They have native predators such as... Wikipedia →