Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Marine iguanas shrink to survive El Niño

Nature volume 403, pages 37–38 (2000)Cite this article

Changes in bone metabolism enable these adult lizards to reversibly alter their length.

Change in body length is considered to be unidirectional in vertebrates1, but we have repeatedly observed shrinkage in the snout-to-vent length of individual adult iguanid lizards. In two studies, one lasting 18 years and one 8 years, of two island populations of Galápagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), we found that individuals became shorter by as much as 20% (6.8 cm) within two years. This shrinking coincided with low availability of food, resulting from El Niño events. Body length increased again during sub-sequent La Niña conditions, when algal food was abundant2. We found that lizards that shrank more survived longer than larger iguanas during harsh periods because their foraging efficiency increased and their energy expenditure decreased3,4.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2: Change in body length as an adaptation to harsh conditions.

References

  1. Andrews, R. M. in Biology of the Reptilia Vol. 13 (eds Gans, C. & Pough, F. H.) 273–320 (Academic, London, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wikelski, M. & Trillmich, F. Evolution 51, 922–936 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wikelski, M., Carrillo, V. & Trillmich, F. Ecology 78, 2204–2217 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Wikelski, M. & Trillmich, F. Behaviour 128, 255–279 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wolter, K. & Timlin, M. S. Weather 53, 315–324 (1998).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Laurie, W. A. in Global Ecological Consequences of the 1982–83 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ed. Glynn, P.) 121–141 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Grant, P. R. Ecology and Evolution of Darwin's Finches (Princeton Univ. Press, New Jersey, 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cooper, J. E. & Laurie, W. A. J. Comp. Pathol. 97, 129–136 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Laurie, W. A. & Brown, D. J. Anim. Ecol. 59, 545–568 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Jarman, P. J. & Sinclair, A. R. E. in Serengeti: Dynamics of an Ecosystem (eds Sinclair, A. R. E. & Norton-Griffith, M.) 130–163 (Univ. Chicago Press, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Enlow, D. H. in Biology of the Reptilia Vol. I (eds Gans, C. et al.) 45–80 (Academic, London, 1969).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Grigoriev, A. I. et al. Aviakosm. Ekolog. Med. 32, 21–25 (1998).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Strollo, F. et al. Aviat. Space. Environ. Med. 69, 777–780 (1998).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wronski, T. J. & Morey, E. R. Metab. Bone Dis. Relat. Res. 4, 69–75 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Mundy, G. R. Nature 367, 216–217 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ethology and Evolution, 515 Morrill Hall, 505 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, 61801, Illinois, USA

    Martin Wikelski

  2. Max-Planck Institute for Behavioural Physiology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany

    Martin Wikelski

  3. University of Bielefield, VHF 33501, Germany

    Martin Wikelski

  4. Department of Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, 97072, Germany

    Corinna Thom

Authors
  1. Martin Wikelski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Corinna Thom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wikelski, M., Thom, C. Marine iguanas shrink to survive El Niño. Nature 403, 37–38 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/47396

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/47396

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing