NEW YORK (AP) — Researchers have been curious about how iguanas made their way to Fiji, a remote island group in the South Pacific. Most iguanas we see today live in the Americas, which is quite far from Fiji.
For a long time, scientists thought these reptiles might have traveled from Asia or Australia before volcanic activity pushed Fiji further away. But recent research presents a different story. Millions of years ago, iguanas may have journeyed 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) on a raft made of floating vegetation—like uprooted trees and small plants. This trip could be the longest any land-dwelling animal has ever made across the ocean.
Previously, researchers believed that the long stretch to Fiji might have been impossible for iguanas. However, a new study examined the genes of 14 iguana species from the Americas, Caribbean, and Fiji. The findings showed that Fijian iguanas are closely related to desert iguanas from North America, indicating they diverged around 31 million years ago.
By creating a statistical model based on these genetic insights, scientists concluded that iguanas probably floated to Fiji from North America. Kevin de Queiroz, an evolutionary biologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, noted, “Given what we know now, their result is by far the most strongly supported.”
The voyage from North America to Fiji could have taken several months. Desert iguanas would have been well-suited for this adventure. They are good at conserving water and could have feasted on the plants around them during the journey. Simon Scarpetta, a study author from the University of San Francisco, stated, “If you had to pick a vertebrate to survive a long trip on a raft across an ocean, iguanas would be the one.”
Today, many species of Fijian iguanas are endangered, partly due to invasive species like the green iguana, which now inhabit the islands. Understanding the origins of these iguanas can help scientists develop strategies to protect them.
Recent studies show that habitat loss, coupled with the introduction of invasive species, poses significant challenges to these reptiles. According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), up to 1 million species are at risk of extinction worldwide, emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts like protecting the Fijian iguana.
As researchers continue to uncover the history and biology of iguanas, they aim to improve conservation efforts and ensure the future of these unique creatures.
For more on this topic, you can read the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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