Marine iguana

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

The only lizard that feeds at sea

Numbers

Weight: 3,3 lbfrom 2 to 26 pounds depending on the island
Length: 4 ftmaximum length reached by adults
Lifespan: 12 yearsfrom 12 to 20 years
Depth: 35 ftmaximum reported depth, usually stays around 15 feet
Dive duration: 10 minutesduration of a single dive, can last longer
Body temperature in the sun: 96 degreesbetween 95 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit while sunbathing on lava

is the only lizard in the world that finds food in the sea, and lives exclusively in the Galapagos Islands.
eats almost exclusively sea algae, which it scrapes off rocks uncovered when the tide goes down.
can dive down to thirty-five feet deep, although most individuals usually stay at about fifteen feet.
stays underwater for about ten minutes during a dive, but can actually remain submerged much longer.
was once documented surviving underwater for an entire hour when Charles Darwin weighted one down.
maintains a body temperature between ninety-five and ninety-seven degrees while sunbathing on warm lava rock.
gets cleaned by bright red crabs and finches, which walk across its dark skin to remove ticks.
settles fights between males mostly through dramatic displays like head bobbing and showing a reddish mouth lining.
digs a tunnel two feet deep in the sand where the female lays just two or three eggs.
displays bright orange and red patches on Hood Island, along with a green crest and colorful legs.

The first one is the question printed in your book: here is the answer. The other four are extra.

Question 1 of 5★ this one is in your book

What does the marine iguana eat?

Question 2 of 5

How deep has it been seen feeding underwater?

Question 3 of 5

How many eggs does the female lay in each nest?

Question 4 of 5

Why does the marine iguana avoid staying in the water for too long?

Question 5 of 5

Where does the marine iguana live?

Experiment 1

Time ten minutes on a watch to see how long a marine iguana stays underwater while feeding on algae along the seabed.

Experiment 2

Dig a tunnel two feet deep in wet sand to match the burrow where a female marine iguana hides her eggs.

Experiment 3

Measure nine inches with a ruler to see the size of a baby marine iguana hatching after one hundred ten days under sand.