Marine Iguana (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

A large lizard, with spikes along its back, that dwells in the Pacific Ocean. No, I’m not talking about Godzilla, I’m talking about the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), the world’s only marine lizard. It’s about as close to a real Godzilla as you can get. In fact, one of its many subspecies is named A. c. godzilla. And although it doesn’t have atomic breath it can sneeze salt out of its nose, so it has that going for it.

Found only on the Galápagos Islands, the marine iguana feeds almost exclusively on algae and has many adaptations to procure it. A short, blunt snout with sharp teeth allows them to glean algae from rocks while a flattened tail aids them in swimming. Their claws are curved and sharp, for gripping submerged rocks while feeding and climbing out of the water along the rocky and turbulent coastline. When not feeding underwater, marine iguanas bask on land, and their dark coloration helps them absorb heat quickly after swimming in cold water. Because they ingest saltwater while feeding, they have specialized glands near their nasal cavities that allow them to expel salt.

Today we’re looking at the Safari Ltd. marine iguana. Part of their Incredible Creatures line, it was in production from 2007-2014. There’s a surprising dearth of marine iguana figures out there, with none from the usual companies like CollectA, Schleich, Papo, or Mojo. Those that do exist either come from Japan or are rather simple toys by the likes of Play Visions and Wild Republic.

The Safari Ltd. marine iguana measures 9” (22.86 cm) long and stands 2.75” (6.985 cm) tall to the top of the head. Including the curves in its tail it measures 11.5” (29.21 cm) long and omitting the tail (snout-to-vent length or SVL) it measures 5” (12.7 cm). Actual marine iguanas have a SVL of 4.7–22.0” (12-56 cm) with a tail length of 6.7–33.1” (17-84 cm). Size varies with the subspecies, however. Due to its black and red coloration, I’m inclined to think that the Safari figure represents the Santa Cruz subspecies (A. c. hassi), which has an average SVL of 14” (35 cm). That would put the toy at 1/2.8 in scale.

In addition to the physical features I mentioned above this figure nicely displays the stocky body and limbs of the marine iguana. Large conical scales decorate the head. The spikes along the back are sculpted in a continuous undulating row but each spike is individually defined and there’s a break in between them over the nape.

Loose bunches of skin hang down along the thick neck and many creases and folds run down the body. Scale detail is depicted via cross hatching. Details are not as refined as with modern Safari toys but they’re decent enough. There are sculpted nostrils but no ear holes or vent. The claws have been blunted, for safety no doubt, and the entire figure is hollow and rubbery.

The figure is black and red with the scales on the head and the spines along the back painted white. In life, the scales on the head are encrusted with salt, making them appear white. Marine iguanas come in a range of color combinations and males tend to be brighter than females, especially during the breeding season. Coloration appears to be tied to the different species of algae being consumed by the associated populations. Some populations are entirely black while some, like the green and red “Christmas iguanas” of Española Island are rather colorful. As stated before, this toy seems to mimic the colors and patterns of the Santa Cruz subspecies, but I’m not familiar with all the subspecies so one of the others might be a better match.

The marine iguana is a species of lizard unlike any other in the world, making it a fitting addition to the Incredible Creatures line. Unfortunately, this figure is retired, and at the time of this writing I was unable to find one on eBay. Mine came in a lot, and that might be your best bet for tracking one down. For reptile collectors, or those not married to a set scale, the Safari marine iguana is worth tracking down.