Author Archives: Jonathan Losos

About Jonathan Losos

Professor and Curator of Herpetology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. I've spent my entire professional career studying anoles and have discovered that the more I learn about anoles, the more I realize I don't know.

Green Anole Creeping And Displaying:The Video

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Here’s a nice video clip of a green anole (A. carolinensis) creeping along a branch and displaying. To me, it’s a nice reminder that the different ecomorphs not only live in different places, but interact with their environment in very … Continue reading →

Invasive Lizards: The Fast Food Chain Connection

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Yesterday, we heard a report about red-headed agamas sipping lattes at Starbucks; today, news reaches us that invasive brown anoles in Georgia are munching on Doritos Locos at Taco Bell. Read Janson Jones residential brown anole report at dust tracks … Continue reading →

Another Bad Boy Anole-Eating Lizard Gaining Ground In Florida

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Anole correspondent John Rahn, of Big Kahuna fame, reports that red-headed agamas are becoming established well beyond Miami. Here’s what he has to say after re-spotting an individual in a Starbucks parking lot that he had previously seen last fall: … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History Observations | 1 Comment

Some Cool Anole Photos

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Not sure how I came across these on the web, but I found Robert Hoogveld’s flickr page and he kindly allowed me to post these fabulous photos. Some may recall the post on Robert’s article on A. proboscis two years ago. Apparently, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anole Photographs | 5 Comments

Marine Subsidies, Washed-up Seaweed, and Insect Damage To Plants: What’s the Role Of Lizards?

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Ecologists are increasingly recognizing the myriad connections not only among species within an ecosystem, but between species in different ecosystems. Case in point: seaweed often washes ashore, and it affects leaves on the plants found near the shoreline. How’s that, … Continue reading →

Posted in New Research | Leave a comment

Glitter Anole

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Woo-hoo! Check out these anole beauties. And the green one actually has a red dewlap and looks passably like Anolis carolinensis. Google “plush anole” or “glitter anole” and you can have your own–for as little as eight buckaroos. But there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Anoles in Commerce | 3 Comments

How Often Do Lizards Capture Enormous Prey? And How Often Are They Unable To Consume It?

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

The photograph above from Daffodil’s Photo Blog shows a brown anole that has just caught a roach almost as big as itself. The lizard was actually able to run away with its prey, so we don’t know if it was consumed. … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History Observations | 9 Comments

Review Of The Giant Dactyloa Anoles Of Panama With Description Of A New Species

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Six large anoles of the Dactyloa clade occur in western Panama. In their explorations, Lotzkat and colleagues have collected all of them, and have just published a paper in Zootaxa reviewing these species. Their phylogenetic analyses based both on DNA … Continue reading →

Posted in New Research | Leave a comment

Brown Anole – Green Anole Interactions

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Periodically, we’ve discussed how green and brown anoles interact now that they’ve been thrown into sympatry in the southeastern U.S. and elsewhere–do they fight, do they mate, do they just ignore each other? Perhaps, it seems, a little bit of … Continue reading →

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Frog Eats Anole

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Surely you remember the heart-warming story–the best post AA has ever had–about Gordon, the green anole that was almost eaten by a Cuban tree frog, but somehow escaped and lived to see many more days (if you haven’t, check it out now!). … Continue reading →

Posted in Anole Photographs, Natural History Observations | 1 Comment

Anole Research In Colombia And Venezuela: Scientist At Work Blog Posts

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Earlier this spring, I reported on a trip to Colombia and Venezuela to collect natural history data on several unknown anoles: A. heterodermus, A. onca, A. annectens and A. tigrinus. As part of the Scientist at Work: Notes from the Field blog on … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History Observations | 1 Comment

Brazilian Samba Giant And Anole Biologist Paulo Vanzolini Passes Away At 89

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

The doyenne of Brazilian herpetology, Paulo Vanzolini died two days ago at an age of 89. Renowned for his herpetological expertise, Vanzolini was even more famous for his samba compositions. Indeed, his Wikipedia page focuses more on his music career … Continue reading →

Posted in Anoles and Anolologists in the News | 3 Comments

Evolutionary Diversification Of Caribbean Snakes

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that anoles aren’t the only animals in the Caribbean. But, in fact, there are other types, even of reptiles, and some of them have diversified a fair bit (though none, of course, to the extent … Continue reading →

Posted in New Research | 3 Comments

Weekend Brown Anoles From Daffodil

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Photojournalist, anole aficionado and AA has devoted yesterday’s post to the goings-on of her local brown anoles. Check it out Daffodil’s Photo Blog.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

True Facts About Chameleons

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Anole researcher Anthony Herrel showed his true colors recently in a seminar when he said that chameleons are cooler than anoles. Be that as it may, this video is a fun demonstration of the amazing traits that make chameleons the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Katydid Eats Anole

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Here’s a disturbing photo that came across Facebook the other day. And I always thought these katydids seemed like delightful, gentle forest nymphs. Who knew they could be vicious killers. This comes from The Biodiversity Group’s Facebook page, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

More Surprises From Anolis Tigrinus

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

I’ve previously posted on the surprising behavior of the Venezuelan A. tigrinus. We found them in astonishing abundance in the town of Colonia Tovar, in the mountains above Caracas. Despite their twig anole appearance and their twig anole habitat use–on twigs … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History Observations | 2 Comments

Nothing Worse Than Being Stuck In The Rain When A Predator’s Around

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Do you like standing out in the rain, especially when it’s cold? Me, neither. But that’s what the dastardly curly-tailed lizard forces brown anoles to do. Any sensible, semi-arboreal lizard would come down from the heights and seek shelter when … Continue reading →

Posted in New Research | 1 Comment

World Turned Upside Down

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Jonathan Losos

Your intrepid correspond is currently in West Palm Beach, Florida, about to embark on a meandering trip north in quest of yellow-dewlapped brown anoles and other anole curiosities (speaking of which, anyone know a good site to find A. sagrei with … Continue reading →