Galápagos Pink Land Iguana

Conolophus marthae, the Galápagos Pink Land Iguana, is a species of lizard of the family Iguanidae. This critically endangered iguana is native only to the Wolf Volcano in northern Isabela Island of the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador). The pink iguana was discovered and first described by National Park rangers in 1986, but it wasn't until 2009 that the pink iguana was formally recognized as a distinct species from the other land iguanas in Galapagos since it had previously been mistaken for an anomaly. One of the oldest occurrences of divergence known in the Galapagos was the divergence, which according to additional genomic studies occurred 5.7 million years ago.

Although they resemble Galapagos land iguanas in appearance, with a short head and strong hind legs, and sharp claws on their toes, they are predominantly herbivores that eat the leaves and fruit of prickly pear cactus. Their body is pink with dark vertical stripes running along it, and that is the only distinguishing feature. Due to their skin's lack of pigment, their pink coloring makes it possible to glimpse the blood underneath.