Why are animals in the Galapagos Islands Unique?
Marine life in the Galapagos is unlike anywhere else in the world, since 20% of marine species found there are endemic to the Galapagos. Among the marine mammals living in the Galapagos Islands, sea lions stand out for many visitors due to their curious and active nature.
Why are the Galapagos Islands important to natural selection?
The exotic locale, home to tortoises, cacti, iguanas and finches, was a source of inspiration for Darwin’s theory of evolution. In Charles Darwin’s day, the Galápagos Islands were perhaps the best place in the world to observe evidence of evolution by natural selection.
How do animals living in the Galapagos Islands help support the theory of evolution?
Darwin’s finches make up the largest population group on the islands. Each of the individual species, as noted by Darwin, has a distinctive beak shape and size depending on their diet. Darwin’s study of the differences among the finches helped him develop the theories of natural selection and evolution.
Why did animals on the Galapagos Islands change over a long time?
Lamarck’s Theory Lamarck and Darwin agreed that animals change over time to adapt to their environment. For example, giraffe necks became longer over the course of thousands of years in order to allow them to eat leaves no other animal can reach.
What Animals Can you find on the Galapagos Islands?
9 animals you’ll only find in the Galápagos
- Galápagos land iguana.
- Marine iguanas.
- Galápagos giant tortoise.
- Darwin’s finches.
- Frigatebirds.
- Blue-footed boobies.
- Flightless cormorants.
- Sally Lightfoot crabs.
How did animals arrive on the Galapagos?
Swept up in ocean currents However, many of the animals that live in the Galapagos Islands could not have arrived by swimming, such as the iguana. It is generally accepted that these animals were swept from land on rafts of vegetation as a result of flooding, for example, and then caught up in ocean currents.
How many species of finches are on the Galapagos Islands?
13 species
What is the most active volcano in Galapagos?
Cerro Azul
Why do the Galapagos Islands move?
The movement of the Nazca plate , upon which the Galápagos Islands lie, conveys the motion of the islands in a direction of east-southeast. The Nazca plate is located northwest of South America and contains the Galápagos Islands as its primary landmass.
How deep is the Galapagos Rift?
1750 to 2400 meters
What is the Galapagos Rift?
Geological Summary The Galápagos Rift is an oceanic spreading ridge between the Cocos plate to the north and the Nazca plate to the south. A large area of hydrothermal vents along the crest of the ridge ENE of the Galápagos Islands was discovered in 1977.
How are hydrothermal vents created?
Hydrothermal vents are the result of seawater percolating down through fissures in the ocean crust in the vicinity of spreading centers or subduction zones (places on Earth where two tectonic plates move away or towards one another). The cold seawater is heated by hot magma and reemerges to form the vents.
What animals live in the hydrothermal vent?
Animals such as scaly-foot gastropods (Chrysomallon squamiferum) and yeti crabs (Kiwa species) have only been recorded at hydrothermal vents. Large colonies of vent mussels and tube worms can also be found living there. In 1980, the Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana) was identified living on the sides of vent chimneys.