A female and male Anolis gemmosus, photo by Luke Mahler
Last summer in Mindo, Ecuador, we found several pairs of Anolis gemmosus sleeping in very close proximity to each other, but not overlapping like Kat observed with Anolis etheridgei (earlier post). The pairs were always facing the same direction and the pairs were made up of any combination of males and females. To be fair, we also saw many sleeping alone, and the area was densely populated with A. gemmosus. Unfortunately, our dedicated pursuit of Anolis proboscis kept us from making detailed observations. Random coincidence or something more?
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Jonathan Losos
Pair bonding has been suggested for two species of Puerto Rican anoles based on observations of male and female lizards sleeping in close proximity. Gorman first suggested the possibility for A. occultus in a paper published in 1980 (Caribbean Journal of Science 15:29–31); more recently, Rios-López and Puente-Colón posited the same for A. cuvieri (Herpetological Review 38:73–75, 2007).
Julian Velasco
I have seen the same patterns occurs in Anolis ventrimaculatus and Anolis eulaemus (Dactyloa clade) and Anolis antonii (Norops clade) in Colombia. It seems that anoles males, at least in these species, have territories with several females surrounding. I do not have idea if these pattern would be consistent and recurrent across of the entire Anolis genus of it would be a random pattern? but what would be the most accurate explanation for these observations? Surveillance of females?