Excess salt in the body can damage cells and organs. Marine iguanas, which live on the beaches of the Galapagos Islands, eat mostly seaweed. They have ducts that remove excess salt from their bodies. How are the salt ducts an adaptation to the iguanas' environment?
Biology · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021
Answered on
Excess salt in the body can damage cells and organs. Marine iguanas, which live on the beaches of the Galapagos Islands, eat mostly seaweed. They have ducts that remove excess salt from their bodies.
Marine iguanas are also known for their very efficient salt glands, where they “sneeze” out salt. Because they feed underwater, they ingest a large amount of saltwater. In order to prevent dehydration, they must expel salt without expelling water, so they have specialized glands that remove salt from their blood.
They expel the collected salt in forceful nose excretions which look to us humans like snorting or sneezing.