Galapagos Marine Iguana Art Print

This Galápagos marine iguana art print is of Amblyrhynchus cristatus, is the world’s only marine reptile. They feed almost exclusively on algae, and have to forage for it at low tide or dive for it. As a result their heads are crested (crusted, really) in white salt. They sneeze out the salt they accumulated in the ocean and it accumulates on their heads! Given that their diet is strictly marine algae, this species is especially threatened by ocean warming and acidification. Changes to the ocean will impact their only food source.

This particular iguana was photographed on my visit to the Galápagos Islands. I spent a lot of time sitting near their colonies watching them bask and sneeze.