Microlophus indefatigabilis explained

The Santa Cruz lava lizard (Microlophus indefatigabilis) is a species of lava lizard endemic to the Galapagos island of Santa Cruz.^[1]

Description

They are identifiable by a brown body with scattered black and white blotches with a distinctive red and black throat and a black chest. Females have a more uniform brown body, a bright orange face, and a black mark at shoulder level. The species is able to shed its tail without mortal injury.^[2] The

Sexual dimorphism

Harems are kept, and are competed for by males using a pushup ritual to avoid physical injury. Males have a higher stamina and greater body size compared to the female.^[3]

Distribution

Endemic to Santa Cruz Island, it is found within volcanic rock areas, dry shrublands, dry grasslands, deciduous forests, and urban areas, and prefers shaded locations.

Notes and References

1. Benavides . Edgar . Baum . Rebecca . Snell . Heidi M. . Snell . Howard L. . Sites Jr. . Jack W. . amp . 2009 . Island biogeography of Galápagos lava lizards (Tropiduridae: Microlophus): species diversity and colonization of the archipelago . Evolution . 63 . 6 . 1606–1626 . 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00617.x . 19154379 . 13598047 . 2012-01-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060153/http://siteslab.byu.edu/Portals/25/docs/Publications/BenavidesEtal09.pdf . 2013-09-21 . dead . free .
2. Web site: Santa Cruz Lava-Lizard (Microlophus indefatigabilis) Tropical Herping. www.tropicalherping.com. 2019-10-16.
3. Jennings. Snell HL. 1988. Intrapopulation variation in predator-avoidance performance of Galápagos lava lizards: the interaction of sexual and natural selection. Evolutionary Ecology. 2. 4. 353–369. 10.1007/BF02207566. 9955874.