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| Anolis aeneus Gray, 1840. Photographed in Grenada. Males reach 80 mm, females 55 mm. This species inhabits tree trunks in a variety of habitats ranging from primary forests to urban settings. It has been the subject of many ecological and behavioral studies. It is commonly called the Gray Speckled Anole or Garden Anole. |
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| Anolis carolinensis Voigt 1832. The Green Anole or Carolina Anole is native to the southeastern USA from Florida to Texas and northward to Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. It also occurs in the Bahamas, Grand Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Cuba, and Mexico. At least part of this distribution is likely due to human transport. It has also been introduced into Belize, Hawaii, and Japan. Photographs of animals in the pet trade. |
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| Anolis equestris Merrem, 1820. The Knight Anole is endemic to Cuba, but have been introduced into southeastern Florida. Breeding populations are now present in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. It has also been introduced into Hawaii. They are arboreal and commonly found in the shade of large trees.They are the largest of the Anolis species adults may reach 480 mm. Food includes grubs, crickets, cockroaches, spiders, and moths; and in captivity they will eat small lizards. The snout is long and wedge-shaped. The tail is slightly compressed with a serrated upper edge. The body is covered with small granular scales with a yellow or white stripe under the eye and over the shoulder. They are bright green in color which can change to a dull grayish-brown. There is sexual dimorphism. Males have a pale pink dewlap used in social and defense displays. |
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| Norops sagrei (Dumeril and Bibron, 1837), the Brown Anole. Animals in the photos were in the pet trade. Brown anoles range from southern Georgia and Florida to the southern tip of Mexico and the Caribbean. They are endemic to Cuba, the Bahamas (and surrounding islands), and possibly other Caribbean islands. Within the last 50-60 years they were introduced into southern Florida and Mexico and more recently, they have appeared in and colonized Hawaii and Jamaica. They have most recently spread to southeastern states, with one isolated population in the Houston, Texas area. They are most likely transported accidentally by humans as they move plants and other materials from one location to another. Its habitat and behavior are plastic, it can use tree trunks, terrestrial areas, and the canopy of trees. And, the brown anole does well in urban environments with shrubs, vines, fences, and trees. Males can reach 54 mm (SVL) and females are smaller, at 43 mm SVL. |
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Norops tropidonotus (Peters, 1863). Photographed in Cayo, Belize, in the Mcall River drainage. Males of this species are larger than females, with the males having a body length of about 50 mm, and females being about 40 mm. It is a Central American species ranging from southern Mexico to Nicaragua. They are shade dwellers, often found low on tree trunks or in the leaf litter, and tend to be more terrestrial than many of its relatives. |
| The lizards commonly called anoles, were considered members of one speciose genus, Anolis, until 1986. Today, 2 related genera make up anoles (Anolis and Norpos). However, some authors have as many as five genera for anoles, recognizing Dactyola, Ctenonotus, and Xiphosurus. This arrangement is not without controversy. There are more than 420 species of these small to medium sized lizards. They are restricted to the New World tropics and subtropics. They are for the most part diurnal, arboreal, and visually oriented. Most species bask, but a few are shade dwelling and a few are aquatic. Most species are sexually dimorphic with males having crests on their necks or tails, and a large, brightly colored dewlap (a flap of skin under the chin used for social communication). Females usually lack the crests and dewlaps or have them greatly reduced in size. Rapid water loss is a problem in these lizards, they can dehydrate very quickly, and they need to drink frequently. Anoles eat frequently and their prey size is positively correlated to their body size. Females lay a single egg in a protected site, sometimes in the leaf litter. Some species lay eggs throughout the year, others reproduce seasonal. Superficially many of these animals are similar in appearance and they are often distinguished using skeletal features and DNA. |