Anolis cybotes or Anolis cristatellus?

During casual field observations at various parks in the eastern portions of south Miami, I have noticed the expansion of Anolis cybotes and Anolis cristatellus.  However, I am more adept at identifying the latter species because of the dorsal crest or sail that many of the larger males exhibit. This feature seems to be absent in cybotes, which also appears to be slightly larger and stockier than cristatellus. I believe the population in Key Biscayne (Crandon Park) is cristatellus. However, there are populations at Fairchild Botanical Gardens, Matheson Hammocks Park, Dante Fascell Park, Town of Pine Crest, and a number of the areas adjacent to the Red Road Canal (Linear Park) north of Old Cutler Road in which I have difficulties with making a positive identification. At one time, over two decades ago, the population along the Red Road canal appeared to me to be cybotes; since then there are definite pockets of cristatellus and perhaps intermingling in areas.  Both species appear to favor shaded, “woodsier” environments and seem to dominate this niche over the ever present sagrei which appears to be relegated to the sunnier perimeters of the parks or hardwood lots. I would be interested in knowing if anyone can identify the species simply from the photographs posted. Also, are these two species closely related enough to readily hybridize?  Both Anolis cybotes and Anolis cristatellus are collected locally for the pet trade which may have aided in their dispersal.POP2POP2FemBeigeBeige2

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8 Comments

  1. All the above A. cristatellus, the one at bottom (male, horizontally perched) A. cybotes. Head and snout are stout and no tail crest, just a row of modestly risen scales, which even distichoids present proportionately larger.

    • Armando Pou

      Interesting, that explains much. Those photographs were taken within 200 meters of each other. The various populations down south must be intermingling (at least territorially). Thanks.

  2. Agree with Miguel above. Though, I still mix cristatellus up with sagrei on occasion from afar- if both are present. . . Best. K.

    • Armando Pou

      Same thing happens to me, but as you approach, the size difference in the males is significant. The females also posses different dorsal patterns.

  3. I’m less certain of these IDs, but I’m not convinced that A. cristatellus can be ruled out for the one on the bottom right. These species are unlikely to hybridize and produce viable offspring. They are very distantly related, and almost no hybridization is observed among distantly-related anole species.

  4. Armando Pou

    I think this small population I found is A. cybotes.

    • I recently came across this “Anolis cristatellus” sighting at (https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/93810). I’ve seen Anolis cybotes in Parkland, Florida and this looks like an Anolis cybotes male. Flank stripes and all. But what really caught my attention was that the photograph was taken on Bahia Honda Key, Florida. I’ve never heard of that location associated with Anolis cybotes or Anolis cristatellus.

      • K.Ra

        The individual form Bahia Honda Key is actually an Anolis sagrei

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