Green Anole

 

While I was out bird watching, I noticed a shock of lime green along the board walk: a green anole! I don't see these lizards as often as I do the brown anole, so they are always fun to see. 

Green anoles are not always green. Like chameleons, they can change colors, specifically from green to brown.^[1] They can do this for a variety of reasons, such as the weather or how they are feeling. When male green anoles fight, they turn green (like the Hulk!).^[2] Also like a chameleon, green anoles can move each eye independently.^[1]

This green anole is likely a female. Males typically have pink neck flaps, while females have a line down their back.^[2] (You can kind of see this in the photo below.) Both male and female green anoles are very territorial.^[3]

Something I was not aware of was how green anoles lay their eggs. According to the New Hampshire PBS, the female green anole lays the eggs one at a time over a series of weeks, hiding them in material such as soil or leaves.^[1] Then roughly month and a half later (give or take about a week), the baby lizards are born, all on their own, with the world to explore.

The Details:

Common Name: Green Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis carolinensis

Family: Iguanidae

Seen: Climbing along a boardwalk

Month: October

Range: The green anole is mostly found in the Southeastern United States, reaching into Virginia and Texas.^[1] The New Hampshire PBS has a helpful range map on their website.

Learn More About Green Anoles:

1. New Hampshire PBS. (n.d.). Green anole - Anolis carolinensis. Wildlife Journal Junior.
2. Oakland Zoo. (n.d.). Green anole.
3. Everglades National Park. (2017, October 17). Species profile: Green anole. National Park Service.