Jonathan Lambert

Those land bridges are now underwater, but they might once have allowed iguanas to spread in the eastern hemisphere and sort of island hop the rest of the way to Fiji.

Those land bridges are now underwater, but they might once have allowed iguanas to spread in the eastern hemisphere and sort of island hop the rest of the way to Fiji.

Right, right. Yeah, this idea assumes that Fijian iguanas are the sole surviving ancestors of that larger group that made this trip.

Right, right. Yeah, this idea assumes that Fijian iguanas are the sole surviving ancestors of that larger group that made this trip.

Right, right. Yeah, this idea assumes that Fijian iguanas are the sole surviving ancestors of that larger group that made this trip.

The second idea is that they sailed there on some kind of raft of vegetation.

The second idea is that they sailed there on some kind of raft of vegetation.

The second idea is that they sailed there on some kind of raft of vegetation.

Yeah, yeah. But until this paper, scientists hadn't really been able to confirm it either way, whether they made it there very gradually or all in one go.

Yeah, yeah. But until this paper, scientists hadn't really been able to confirm it either way, whether they made it there very gradually or all in one go.

Yeah, yeah. But until this paper, scientists hadn't really been able to confirm it either way, whether they made it there very gradually or all in one go.

Yeah, yeah. So understanding what else Fijian iguanas are closely related to could give scientists clues about where they came from. And knowing how old they are could indicate how likely it is that they walked over these ancient land bridges.

Yeah, yeah. So understanding what else Fijian iguanas are closely related to could give scientists clues about where they came from. And knowing how old they are could indicate how likely it is that they walked over these ancient land bridges.

Yeah, yeah. So understanding what else Fijian iguanas are closely related to could give scientists clues about where they came from. And knowing how old they are could indicate how likely it is that they walked over these ancient land bridges.

basically by figuring out the iguana family tree. They used genomic data from 14 different iguana species to see who was most closely related to whom, and the results surprised Scarpetta.

basically by figuring out the iguana family tree. They used genomic data from 14 different iguana species to see who was most closely related to whom, and the results surprised Scarpetta.

basically by figuring out the iguana family tree. They used genomic data from 14 different iguana species to see who was most closely related to whom, and the results surprised Scarpetta.

Yeah, the kind that currently lives in the southwestern U.S.

Yeah, the kind that currently lives in the southwestern U.S.

Yeah, the kind that currently lives in the southwestern U.S.