View source for Microlophus

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}}
{{For|a taxonomic synonym of a genus of plants|Centaurea}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Microlophus female.JPG
| image_caption = ''[[Microlophus albemarlensis]]'', female, a Galápagos endemic
| taxon = Microlophus
| authority = [[André Marie Constant Duméril|A.M.C. Duméril]] & [[Gabriel Bibron|Bibron]], 1837
| type_species = ''[[Microlophus peruvianus|Iguana peruviana]]''
| type_species_authority = [[Lesson]], 1830
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = around 20
}}

'''''Microlophus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[Tropiduridae|tropidurid]] lizards native to South America.  Around 20 [[species]] are recognized and 10 of these are [[Endemism|endemic]] to the [[Galápagos Islands]],{{efn|Some authors consider certain island populations of ''[[Microlophus albemarlensis|M. albemarlensis]]'' to be distinct species.<ref name=Benavides/>}} where they are commonly known as '''lava lizards'''<ref>Fitter, Julian; Fitter, Daniel; Hosking, David (2000). ''Wildlife of the Galalpagos''. Updated Edition. Princeton University Press. p.94.</ref><ref name=Benavides>[[species:Edgar Benavides|Benavides, Edgar]]; Baum, Rebecca; Snell, Heidi M.; Snell, Howard L.; [[species:Jack W. Sites Jr|Sites, Jack W., Jr.]] (2009). [http://siteslab.byu.edu/Portals/25/docs/Publications/BenavidesEtal09.pdf "Island Biogeography of Galápagos Lava Lizards (Tropiduridae: ''Microlophus''): Species Diversity and Colonization of the Archipelago".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060153/http://siteslab.byu.edu/Portals/25/docs/Publications/BenavidesEtal09.pdf |date=2013-09-21 }} (.pdf) ''Evolution'' '''63''' (6): 1606–1626.</ref> (they are sometimes placed in ''[[Tropidurus]]'' instead). The remaining, which often are called '''Pacific iguanas''', are found in the [[Andes]] and along the Pacific coasts of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador.

The distribution of the lava lizards and their variations in shape, colour, and behaviour show the phenomenon of [[adaptive radiation]] so typical of the inhabitants of this archipelago. One species occurs on all the central and western islands, which were perhaps connected during periods of lower sea levels, while one species each occurs on six other more peripheral [[island]]s. All have most likely evolved from a single ancestral species. However, as usual for the Tropiduridae, they can change their colour individually to some extent, and members of the same species occurring in different habitats also show colour differences. Thus, animals living mainly on dark [[lava]] are darker than ones that live in lighter, sandy environments.

==Species==
[[File:Lava-espanola-male.jpg|thumb|''[[Microlophus delanonis]]'', male, endemic to [[Española Island]], the Galápagos]]
[[File:Microlophus occipitalis02.jpg|thumb|''[[Microlophus occipitalis]]'' in Peru]]
Listed alphabetically by [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]].<ref>[http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?genus=Microlophus&exact%5B0%5D=genus&submit=Search ''Microlophus'']. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.</ref> (* endemic to the Galapágos Islands).
*''[[Microlophus albemarlensis]]'' {{small|([[Georg Baur|Baur]], 1890)}} – Galápagos lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus arenarius]]'' {{small|([[Johann Jakob von Tschudi|Tschudi]], 1845)}}
*''[[Microlophus atacamensis]]'' {{small|([[:es:Roberto Donoso-Barros|Donoso-Barros]], 1960)}} – Atacamen Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus barringtonensis]]'' {{small|([[Georg Baur|Baur]], 1892)}} – Santa Fe lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus bivittatus]]'' {{small|([[Wilhelm Peters|W. Peters]], 1871)}} – San Cristóbal lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus delanonis]]'' {{small|(Baur, 1890)}} – Española lava lizard or Hood lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus duncanensis]]'' {{small|(Baur, 1890)}} – Pinzón lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus grayii]]'' {{small|([[Thomas Bell (zoologist)|Bell]], 1843)}} – Floreana lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus habelii]]'' {{small|([[Franz Steindachner|Steindachner]], 1876)}} – Marchena lava lizard*
*''[[Microlophus heterolepis]]'' {{small|([[Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann|Wiegmann]], 1834)}}
*''[[Microlophus indefatigabilis]]'' {{small|(Baur, 1890)}} – Santa Cruz lava lizard *
*''[[Microlophus jacobi|Microlophus jacobii]]'' {{small|([[Georg Baur|Baur]], 1892)}}  Santiago lava lizard *
*''[[Microlophus koepckeorum]]'' {{small|([[Robert Mertens|Mertens]], 1956)}} – Frost's iguana
*''[[Microlophus occipitalis]]'' {{small|(W. Peters, 1871)}} – knobbed Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus pacificus]]'' {{small|(Steindachner, 1876)}} – Pinta lava lizard or common Pacific iguana*
*''[[Microlophus peruvianus]]'' {{small|([[René Primevère Lesson|Lesson]], 1830)}} – Peru Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus quadrivittatus]]'' {{small|([[Johann Jakob von Tschudi|Tschudi]], 1845)}} – four-banded Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus tarapacensis]]'' {{small|(Donoso-Barros, 1966)}} – Tarapaca Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus theresiae]]'' {{small|(Steindachner, 1901)}} – Theresia's Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus theresioides]]'' {{small|(Donoso-Barros, 1966)}} – ''corredor de pica'' (in Spanish)
*''[[Microlophus thoracicus]]'' {{small|(Tschudi, 1845)}} – Tschudi's Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus tigris]]'' {{small|(Tschudi, 1845)}} – tiger Pacific iguana
*''[[Microlophus yanezi]]'' {{small|([[species:Juan Carlos Ortíz-Zapata|Ortiz-Zapata]], 1980)}} – Yanez's lava lizard

''[[Nota bene]]'': A [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial authority]] in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Microlophus''.

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Microlophus}}
{{Wikispecies|Microlophus}}

==Further reading==
*[[André Marie Constant Duméril|Duméril AMC]], [[Gabriel Bibron|Bibron G]] (1837). ''Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome quatrième'' [Volume 4]. Paris: Roret. ii + 571 pp. (''Microlophus'', new genus, pp.&nbsp;334–335). (in French).


{{Taxonbar|from=Q951805}}

[[Category:Microlophus| ]]
[[Category:Lizards of South America]]
[[Category:Lizard genera]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron]]
[[Category:Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril]]


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