Iguanas Make Waves: Scientists Reveal ‘Crazy’ Record-Breaking Ocean Voyage!

Iguanas on remote Fiji islands may look like they’re just lounging around, but a recent study reveals they’ve come a long way—literally. Researchers found that these iguanas traveled thousands of miles across the ocean on floating vegetation over the past 30 million years.

The study examined the family tree of iguanas, which includes about 2,100 species, from marine iguanas to chameleons. Surprisingly, it turns out that Fiji iguanas share a close genetic link with lizards found in the American Southwest. This raises a fascinating question: how did they get there?

According to the researchers, a group of desert iguanas likely rode on debris that floated across the Pacific. They made this incredible journey, surviving for about 34 million years on their new island home. Simon Scarpetta, a herpetologist at the University of San Francisco and the study’s lead author, explained, “The mechanism of dispersal was probably rafting on vegetation mats. They had food along the way, which helped them survive.” He noted that based on simulations, this voyage could have taken between 2.5 to 4 months.

If correct, this would mark the longest-known journey of any land vertebrate across the ocean—an impressive feat. Scarpetta points out that iguanas, especially desert iguanas, can withstand starvation and dehydration. This makes them ideal for such a challenging trip.

The study analyzed over 4,000 iguana genes from more than 200 specimens, confirming that the Fiji iguana’s closest relatives are the North American desert iguanas (Dipsosaurus dorsalis). The islands of Fiji formed around 34 million years ago, closely aligning with when these iguanas likely arrived. Co-author Jimmy McGuire from UC Berkeley remarked on the surprising nature of this finding, stating, “It would seem crazy for them to have come directly from North America, but other theories about their arrival don’t fit the timelines.”

Previous ideas about iguanas floating to the Pacific islands have been suggested, but this new research rules out South America as their origin. It also challenges the notion that these reptiles evolved from an older lineage that existed in the Pacific before going extinct.

Scarpetta noted another interesting possibility: “It’s worth considering whether iguanas hopped across islands instead of making a single raft journey. But there’s no fossil evidence anywhere else in the Pacific, and volcanic islands come and go.”

Sadly, despite their remarkable journey, Fiji and Tonga are home to four endangered iguana species, threatened by habitat loss, predation, and the exotic pet trade. This research underlines the survival struggles of these creatures and highlights the importance of conservation efforts to protect them.

Understanding how species adapt and migrate gives insight into our planet’s history and encourages us to care for ecosystems. The story of the Fiji iguanas is not just one of survival, but a reminder of the ongoing battle for existence in a changing world.

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Animals,Floating,Lizards,migration,reptiles