Ancient iguanas made a remarkable journey across the Pacific Ocean, sailing over 5,000 miles from North America to Fiji around 34 million years ago. The discovery was made using genetic analysis of DNA sequences collected from over 200 iguana specimens worldwide.
Researchers believe that the iguanas built rafts using floating vegetation and rode out ocean currents to reach their destination in Fiji. This journey is considered one of the longest transoceanic trips ever recorded for a terrestrial species.
The study suggests that Fiji’s bright-green lizards, which are the only iguanas outside the Western Hemisphere, are more closely related to their Western Hemisphere cousins than previously thought. The discovery supports the idea that these iguanas arrived in Fiji directly from North America around 34 million years ago.
Lead author Simon Scarpetta notes that the journey is “spectacular” and that alternative models of colonization do not fit the timeline. The researchers used a genome-wide DNA sequence to analyze the genetic relationships between different iguana species, including those found in Fiji and North America.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/animals/lizards/iguanas-sailed-one-fifth-of-the-way-around-the-world-on-rafts-34-million-years-ago