New to Nature No 34: Conolophus marthae

The Conservation of Galápagos Land Iguanas project, a collaboration between the University Tor Vergata, Rome, and Galápagos National Park led by Gabriele Gentile, has discovered a new species. Two species of iguana were previously recognised, described in 1831 and 1903. Now a third species has been identified from Isla Isabela. Conolophus marthae is distinctive genetically, behaviourally and anatomically. Its pink and black-striped colour and head-bobbing behaviour easily distinguish it from the other species, and its much greater genetic distance suggests that it represents an ancient split in the lineage. Based on the small population endemic to Volcán Wolf, highest peak in the Galápagos, the species has been recommended for red listing as "critically endangered". Quentin Wheeler is director of the International Institute for Species Exploration , Arizona State University