Common name:
Galapagos pink land iguana
Scientific name:
Conolophus marthae
Spanish name:
Iguana rosada
Conservation status:
Critically Endangered
Maximum size:
1.2 metres
One of Galapagos’ most recently described species is also one of its genetically oldest. Pink iguanas are not just a different colour from other land iguanas; they are a completely separate species. There are only around 200 left, and they are confined to the slopes of Wolf Volcano on Isabela, making them one of the most vulnerable species in Galapagos, as the volcano is still active.
First spotted and described by National Park rangers in 1986, it wasn’t until 2009 that the pink iguana was officially classified as a separate species to the other land iguanas in Galapagos, and initially it was passed off as an oddity. Further genetic analysis suggests that the divergence happened 5.7 million years ago, making it one of the oldest events of divergence recorded in Galapagos.
