Alcedo is one of the lowest and smallest of six shield volcanoes on Isabela Island. Seen here from the coast of Fernandina Island to its west, Alcedo has a 7-8 km wide summit caldera. Most of the flanks and summit caldera are vegetated, but young lava flows are prominent on the N flank near the saddle with Darwin volcano. Alcedo is the only Galápagos volcano known to have erupted rhyolite as well as basalt.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Institution).

This image is made available under the Public Domain Dedication CC0 license, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Galleries: Shield Volcanoes

Keywords: shield volcano

Alcedo