Galapagos Islands

Where are the Galapagos Islands located?

• Located in Pacific Ocean, North West of South America.

• 600 miles from Ecuador

Climate

• The climate at the Galapagos Islands is subtropical.

What does subtropical mean?

Temperatures and rainfall fluctuate all year round.

What biome has more rainfall and warmer temperatures all year round?

Tropical rainforest

Video showing appearance of Islands.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMIltYbSXBg

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oW-xUOxRrE&feature=related

Examples of organisms that Darwin observed:

1. Land Tortoises2. Darwin Finches3. Flightless Cormorant4. Marine Iguanas

Take notes- 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.

Two types of Iguana’s that we are going to discuss:

1. Land Iguana

• A large relative of the South American and Caribbean terrestrial iguana.

• Can grow 3 ft. in length.• Round tail• Pointed nose• Small claws• Brownish-red in color on top, yellow-orange

underneath.• Eats grass and other ground plants, especially

the large prickly-pear cactus.

Land Iguana

2. Marine Iguana

Marine Iguana

• Is the only sea-going iguana in the world• Flat tail • Short square nose • Dark coloration• Partially webbed feet• Large claws

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

How do the adaptations help the Land Iguana’s?

• Why Small claws?

It helps them climb trees

How do the adaptations help the Marine Iguana’s?

1. How does dark body coloring help?

Coloration camouflages them in the dark lava on which they live.

Enables iguanas of all ages to absorb more heat from the sun.

2. Why the large claws and short snout?

Large claws and short snout help them hold onto the rocks when they eat the seaweed and algae on the rocks.

3. How does the partially webbed feet help?

Helps the Iguana swim and eat sea weed and algae of off rocks.

2 Types of Galapagos Tortoises found:

The Galapagos tortoise comes in three versions, which are distinguished by the shape of their shells, sizes, colors and behavior:1. Saddle-Backed: Mostly found on the lower drier islands. They have raised shells, long necks and limbs.2. Dome-Shaped: Found on the upper parts of the islands, where plant growth is dense and thick. They have round shaped shells, very short necks and limbs. http://www.answers.com/topic/gal-pagos-tortoise

• Video Galapagos Island Tortoise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AtkLbEQz5g&feature=related

(

(

• Arched carapace (shell) in the front• Thin Long legs• Long snout• Long neck• Found in the dry areas of Espanola, Pinzon,

Pinta, and Fernandina Islands

Saddleback Tortoises

• Rounded shell.• Blunt snout.• Shorter neck.• Found on islands with rich vegetation (like Santa

Cruz and Isabela).• Eats grasses closer to ground.

Domed 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

How do the adaptations help the Saddleback Tortoise?

1. Why the Arched carapace (shell) in the front and long necks?

The raised front of the carapace (shell) allows saddleback tortoises to reach greater heights to eat food such as cactus pads that might otherwise be out of reach.

How do the adaptations help the Doomed Tortoise?

• Why the heavy and round shell?

Allows it to move through the thick vegetation more easily than the saddleback tortoise (think of a tank).

Cormorant

Flightless Cormorant

http://www.pinoy24videos.com/video/fcd0106302a6907/RDF-

TV--Vestigial-Organs-The-Wings-of-the-Flightless-

Cormorant--Richard-Dawkins

• Found only on the Galapagos Islands• It is the only cormorant that has lost the ability

to fly.• Dark with black coloration above and brown

underneath.• Streamlined body.• Strong legs.• Sparsely feathered vestigial wings.• Webbed feet

Flightless Cormorant

• 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 as much.

• Eat mainly fish.

Cormorant

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

How do the adaptations help the flightless cormorant?

1. Why do they have webbed feet?

Webbed feet and powerful legs that propel it through ocean waters as it seeks fish, eels, octopus, and other small creatures.

2. What does it mean when you say vestigial

wings?

The wings are small and useless for flight.

Finches on the Galapagos Islands

• Finches were noticeably different from one island to the next.

• The most obvious difference was in the size and shapes of the beaks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k2UxiHREUM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBJDAXaCh24

Why do you think the birds on different islands

have different shaped beaks?

1.They had adapted to the different food sources on their specific islands.

2.It also eliminated the competition for the same food source.

Types of beaks observed:

Large, strong, wide beaks for opening seeds

Small, narrow, needle like beaks for eating insects.

Field Guide Project

You will learn more about the unique species of the Galapagos Islands by preparing your own field guide.

Directions:

1.  You are responsible for preparing a field guide for the Galapagos Islands.

2. You will research species found on the Galapagos Islands, and learn more about the marine life, land-dwellers and birds that inhabit many of the islands.

3. You will need to provide a map of each Galapagos Islands where your animal(s) was found and provide a brief description and illustration of the island's physical habitat.

4. You will then choose four different forms of wildlife (you may use two previously mentioned in class). Use the website and other resources to complete the following field guide, you will need to complete the following information for each species:

You must include:

1. Picture of your chosen animal:

2. Common name:

3. Scientific name:

4. Physical and unique characteristics:

5. Habitat description (include location and information about the biome):

6. A description of how your species has adapted to their environment:

7. Diet and feeding habits:

8. Give one interesting fact:

Field Guide Examples: