The Galápagos land iguanas comprise the genus Conolophus. The name, Conolophus, is derived from two Greek words: conos (κÎνοÂ) meaning "spiny" and lophos (λοÆοÂ) meaning "crest" or "plume", denoting the spiny crests along the backs of these species. The number of species of this variable genus has always been disputed; the most current taxonomic surveys suggest that three main lineages exist:
