Galapagos Adaptations Galapagos Animal GalleryGalapagos Adaptations Exploring how species have adapted to their island environments over time. Galapagos Animal Gallery • The paired

1

Galapagos Adaptations

Exploring how species have adapted to their island environments over time.

Galapagos Animal Gallery

• The paired photographs you will see depict

similar animals of the same size.

• Compare these images carefully.

• List any differences you notice, no matter

how small.

• Briefly describe each animal’s habitat and

diet.

(2006). Darwin & the Galapagos Islands. Retrieved

January 4, 2007, from Go Visit Galapagos Web site:

http://www.govisitgalapagos.com/darwin/default.asp

National Science Teachers Association, NSTA Galapagos.

Retrieved January 4, 2007, from Classroom Investigations:

Galapagos Adaptations Web site:

http://pubs.nsta.org/galapagos/activities/gallery/gallery2.html(Jan 3, 2007). Photos/Mixed Selection. Retrieved January 9,

2007, from www.CQJ.dk Travelling, Sports Fishing &

Photography Web site: http://www.cqj.dk/mix-photo-eng.htm

(2007). Galapagos Pictures, Galapagos Wildlife.

Retrieved January 9, 2007, from in-quito.com

Galapagos Pictures Web site: http://www.in-

quito.com/galapagos/pictures-2.htm

Is the only sea-going iguana in the world

Flat tail

Square nose

Dark coloration

Partially webbed feet

Coloration camouflages them in the dark lava on

which they live

Enables iguanas of all ages to absorb more

heat from the sun

A large relative of the South American and

Caribbean terrestrial iguana

Round tail

Pointed nose

Brownish-red in color on top

Yellow-orange underneath

Eats grass and other ground plants, especially

the large prickly-pear cactus.

2

Marine Iguana

Lives near the water Lives in dry regions on land

Land Iguanavs.

Dark color

Short snout

Long claws for

gripping rocks

Light color

Long snout

Short claws

National Science Teachers Association, NSTA Galapagos. Retrieved January 4,

2007, from Classroom Investigations: Galapagos Adaptations Web site:

http://pubs.nsta.org/galapagos/activities/gallery/gallery2.html

(2006). Darwin & the Galapagos Islands. Retrieved January 4, 2007,

from Go Visit Galapagos Web site:

http://www.govisitgalapagos.com/darwin/default.asp









(2007). Galapagos Islands Guided Tour. Retrieved

January 9, 2007, from AGalapagos Islands Guided Tour -

Isla Santa Cruz, Ecuador Web site:

http://www.discovergalapagos.com/santacru.html

(2006). Tortoise T-Shirts. Retrieved January 9, 2007,

from JungleWalk.com Gifts for Animal Lovers Web

site: http://www.junglewalk.com/shop/Tortoise-t-

shirts.htm

One of the major groups of giant tortoises in

the Galapagos Islands

Arched carapace (shell) in the front

Long legs

Long snout

Long neck that allows it to reach for its food

high above the ground

Found in the dry areas of Espanola, Pinzon,

Pinta, and Fernandina Islands

One of the major groups of giant tortoises in the

Galapagos Islands

Rounded shell

Blunt snout

Shorter neck

Found on islands with rich vegetation (like Santa

Cruz and Isabela)

Larger and heavier

Rounded shell allows it to move through the thick

vegetation more easily than the saddleback

tortoise

Lives in dry region

vs.Lives in an area of

thick vegetation

Saddleback Tortoise

Domed Tortoise

Eats leaves high in

trees

Highly arched shell

opening

Long neck

Long legs

Eats grasses and

leaves close to ground

Low, rounded shell opening

Short neck

Short legs

National Science Teachers

Association, NSTA

Galapagos. Retrieved January

4, 2007, from Classroom

Investigations: Galapagos

Adaptations Web site:

http://pubs.nsta.org/galapagos

/activities/gallery/gallery2.ht

ml


Association, NSTA Galapagos.

Retrieved January 4, 2007, from

Classroom Investigations:


http://pubs.nsta.org/galapagos/acti

vities/gallery/gallery2.html

3









(2007). Cormorant Showing Off Photo. Retrieved

January 9, 2007, from TrekNature Web site:

http://www.treknature.com/gallery/North_America/Ca

nada/photo45462.htm

(2007). Flightless Cormorant. Retrieved January 9, 2007,

from ARKive: Images of Life on Earth Web site:

http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Phalacrocorax_har

risi/

Found only in the Galapagos

Dark with black coloration above and brown

underneath

Streamlined body, thick neck, larger beak

Strong legs

Sparsely feathered vestigial wings

The wings are small and useless for flight

Webbed feet

Uses its strong legs and webbed feet to swim

and capture fish, eels, and octopuses

28 other living species of cormorants, all of

which use their wings for flight

Well-developed wing muscles, making their

bodies thicker than the flightless cormorant

Legs are much more refined because they do not

use them for swimming that much

Eat mainly fish

Thin neck, smaller beak

Flightless Cormorant

Found only in the

Galapagos

Not found in the Galapagos

vs. Cormorant

Thick, strong legs

for swimming

Small, vestigial wings

Streamlined body

for swimming

Long, well-developed

wings

Slender Legs

Heavier body


Association, NSTA

Galapagos. Retrieved

January 4, 2007, from

Classroom Investigations:

Galapagos Adaptations

Web site:

http://pubs.nsta.org/galapa

gos/activities/gallery/galle

ry2.html


Association, NSTA

Galapagos. Retrieved January

4, 2007, from Classroom

Investigations: Galapagos

Adaptations Web site:

http://pubs.nsta.org/galapagos/

activities/gallery/gallery2.html

Looking at Habitat Adaptations

Choose one animal from each pair.

Explain how the traits you observed may

help the animal survive or thrive in its

habitat.

Give at least three examples of different

traits and explain each one.

4

1. How have isolation and the unique

conditions of the Galapagos Islands given

rise to the unusual features of Galapagos

animals?

2. Would they survive if they were introduced

into similar ecosystems elsewhere in the

world?

3. What kind of adaptations would allow

existing Galapagos animals to survive in

other habitats around the world?

(Remember, organisms can’t adapt because

they want to or need to.)

Final Questions

Documents

Galapagos Adaptations Galapagos Animal GalleryGalapagos Adaptations Exploring how species have adapted to their island environments over time. Galapagos Animal Gallery • The paired