Microlophus albemarlensis

Microlophus albemarlensis
Female, Santa Fe Island
Male, Isabela Island
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Tropiduridae
Genus: Microlophus
Species:
M. albemarlensis
Binomial name
Microlophus albemarlensis
(Baur, 1890)
Range (red) in the Galápagos Islands
Synonyms
  • Tropidurus albemarlensis Baur, 1890
  • Tropidurus indefatigabilis Baur, 1890
  • Tropidurus jacobii Baur, 1892
  • Tropidurus barringtonensis Baur, 1892
  • Tropidurus grayii barringtonensis Heller, 1903
  • Tropidurus grayii magnus Heller, 1903

Microlophus albemarlensis, the Galápagos Lava lizard, also known as the Albemarle Lava lizard, is a species of Lava lizard. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, where it occurs on several islands in the western archipelago: the large islands Isabela, Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Santiago and Santa Fe, as well as several smaller islands: Seymour, Baltra, Plaza Sur, Daphne Major and Rábida. It is the most widespread of the Galápagos species of Microlophus, the others only occurring on single islands. Some authors however, consider populations on Santiago, Santa Cruz, and Santa Fe (and associated small islands) to be distinct species (M. jacobi, M. indefatigabilis and M. barringtonensis, respectively). The species is commonly attributed to the genus Microlophus but has been historically placed in the genus Tropidurus.