The habitats of the knobbed Pacific iguana can be considered to be both broad and diverse as they are typically found in many different places such as beaches, lomas, and all the way to desert regions.

The knobbed Pacific iguana displays distinct sexual dimorphism as seen by the different sizes and appearances of the male and females.

Males are significantly larger and as a whole species, knobbed Pacific iguanas can range from 50–80 mm (2.0–3.1 in) in snout-vent length.

These varying colors play a role in a prominent feature of knobbed Pacific iguanas in that these different shades can represent distinct stages of reproduction and signal information to mates.

Like most other lizards, the knobbed Pacific iguana is cold-blooded and relies on basking and other strategies of thermoregulation to maintain an ideal body temperature.

[2] Between the two sexes, knobbed Pacific iguanas have noticeable sexual dimorphism meaning males and females share different features and appearances.

Additionally, in terms of size, males are generally much larger than their female counterparts and display more aggressive activity.

[8] Additionally, all lava lizards exhibit the same behavioral paradigms, including doing "push ups" as shows of aggression to other individuals.

This recorded average parallels other lizard species such as the Microlophus peruvianus whose habitat overlap with the knobbed Pacific iguana.

In the early morning, they are most common in open places where there is more sunlight and during noontime, they seek refuge in bushes or in wooded areas.

[11] Regarding lifetime changes in physical features, males develop a black dorsal posterior while females acquire throat coloration that ranges from white to red.

The coloration cycles last 25-30 days and quickly change from white to red once the female begins ovulating.

Rejection of courtship is shown by back arching and wagging the tail towards the male, dewlap extension, or sidle-hopping.

[3] This idea of coloration as a means to signal unwillingness to mate has been tested by using paint to change females' throat colour from red to white.

Due to their smaller size, the knobbed Pacific iguana is predated by many species of birds including the Pearl Kite.

The lizard occupies many different microhabitats, but reside mostly in either forest floor leaf litter or on sandy beaches.

This is likely due to sand swimming in which the lizard can shake off and remove ectoparasites by rubbing its body along the sandy floor.

Since parasites are susceptible to desiccation, they do not survive as well on the backs of M. occipitalis in open beach areas where the climate is hotter.

It is important to note that climate change and global warming have great potential in terms of destroying the knobbed Pacific iguanas habitat, so people should be cautious.