At the JMIH in New Orleans this past July, the 100th anniversary celebration of the ASIH was held at the Rock ‘n’ Bowl, where music, food, drink, dancing, and bowling were enjoyed by all. But for those who were alert on their way in, there was an added bonus: anoles! Or, at least, one anole, spotted by Quynh Quach and corralled by Kristin Winchell.
As other attendees file in, Quynh and Kristin spot their quarry in the bushes.
Taking a picture of the crowd filing in, I serendipitously caught our two intrepid anoleers about to make the catch in the bushes to the right of the entrance. Kristin made the grab, and displayed her catch.
Kristin displays the catch.
It was, of course, Anolis sagrei, the invasive Cuban species which has been spreading through the southeastern US for more than 80 years now. He was a nice-sized adult male, typical of the nominate form that occurs through most of the species’ US range. The edificarian habitat– in bushes at the edge of a parking lot next to a building– is also typical of where invasive sagrei can be found.
Adult male Anolis sagrei, New Orleans, Louisiana, 10 July 2016.
An appreciative crowd gathered.
Eager anolologists immortalize the NOLA anole in pixels.
I was glad to see it, because prior to this I had only seen Anolis carolinensis in New Orleans (more on this in a later post).
Quynh and Kristin show off their catch.