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Amazing iguanas conquered Fiji after a 5,000-mile journey
- Researchers have discovered that iguanas in Fiji and Tonga likely arrived on the islands by rafting from western North America, traveling 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean.
- The iguanas arrived on the islands around 34 million years ago, making them the longest known transoceanic dispersal of any non-human terrestrial vertebrate.
- These iguanas belong to the genus Brachylophus and are closely related to iguanas of the genus Dipsosaurus, particularly the North American desert iguana.
- The study confirms that the iguanas colonized Fiji and Tonga from North America, diverging from Dipsosaurus iguanas around 30 million years ago when volcanic activity could have produced land.
- The journey of the iguanas showcases their resilience and ability to survive long periods without food or water, likely traveling on rafts made of fallen trees and plants.
- The iguanas' dispersal over water contributed to the evolution of new species and ecosystems, with Fiji and Tonga hosting these unique reptiles, now listed as critically endangered.
- The unique journey of the iguanas sheds light on the incredible adaptations of these reptiles and their ability to conquer distant islands through transoceanic dispersal.
- The discovery highlights the importance of understanding the origins and colonization patterns of different species, offering insights into the evolutionary history of iguanas.
- Despite facing threats such as habitat loss and exploitation by smugglers, the iguanas of Fiji and Tonga remain a testament to the remarkable journeys undertaken by wildlife in the natural world.
- This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, expands our understanding of how iguanas conquered remote islands and the challenges they face in their unique habitats.
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