Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Marine iguanas shrink to survive El Niño

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

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

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

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

Similar content being viewed by others

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

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation