Post on 01-Jun-2020
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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.
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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
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
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
(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
National Science Teachers
Association, NSTA Galapagos.
Retrieved January 4, 2007, from
Classroom Investigations:
Galapagos Adaptations Web site:
http://pubs.nsta.org/galapagos/acti
vities/gallery/gallery2.html
3
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
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
(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
National Science Teachers
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
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
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.
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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