Galápagos lava lizards are active during the day, emerging around sunrise, withdrawing during the heat of midday, and resuming activity in the afternoon.
At night they burrow under soil or leaf-litter, submerged up to 12 mm (1.5 inches), often returning to the same resting area each night.

Males are territorial, with home ranges averaging around 22 meters in diameter, and defend their ranges against other males with threat displays and fighting.
Females have smaller home ranges of around 13 meters diameter, and a single male's home range may overlap with the ranges of several females.
Threat displays include holding the body erect, flattening the sides of the body, positioning the broad side of the body towards the opponent, and bobbing.
Males tend to exhibit threat displays towards juveniles and smaller males but not to females, while females will exhibit threat displays towards other females and juveniles.
Galápagos lava lizards are active during the day, emerging around sunrise, withdrawing during the heat of midday, and resuming activity in the afternoon. At night they burrow under soil or leaf-litter, submerged up to 12 mm (1.5 inches), often returning to the same resting area each night.
Males are territorial, with home ranges averaging around 22 meters in diameter, and defend their ranges against other males with threat displays and fighting. Females have smaller home ranges of around 13 meters diameter, and a single male's home range may overlap with the ranges of several females. Threat displays include holding the body erect, flattening the sides of the body, positioning the broad side of the body towards the opponent, and bobbing. Males tend to exhibit threat displays towards juveniles and smaller males but not to females, while females will exhibit threat displays towards other females and juveniles.
Microlophus albemarlensis