It’s time for the latest installment of our perennial crowd pleaser, Find the Anole!
In picture #1, we have three questions:
1) How many species of anoles are in this picture?
2) Which species are they?
3) Bonus Points: What is the interesting evolutionary/biogeographical story represented here?
Picture #2 is a tough one. How many anoles can you find? We’re not sure ourselves, but there are at least three male A. sagrei: one is easy to find; one tricky, but cool; the third basically impossible (in fact, it doesn’t really look like a lizard, but we’re pretty sure there was a lizard sitting there when the picture was taken).
Editors note: go here for the answer.
Professor of Biology and Director of the Living Earth Collaborative at Washington University in Saint Louis. 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.
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Wes Chun
Why has no one commented on this yet?
Picture 1: Looks like there are two species of anoles in this picture, but I’m not sure which ones (locality data would have been helpful). I think the greenie is either Anolis carolinensis from southern FL or A. smaragdinus from the Bahamas. The two chunky ones look like A. distichus. Without locality data, I’m not sure how I would answer Question #3.
Picture 2: OK, I can only find two: the obvious one on the edge of the plank (lower left) and the other on a narrow trunk in the background, facing head down and displaying a yellow-orange dewlap.
Anybody else?
Joe Burgess
I am going to assume that both pictures were taken in the same place. Based on the surroundings in the pictures (water color, rocky substrate, large seagrape, etc…) I will say that these are in the Bahamas.
Pic 1
1.) Looks like two based on the perch heights of the species but there is probably a 3rd (sagrei) at the base of the tree out of the shot.
2.) A. smaragdinus, A. distichus (male & female)
3.) Both species originated from different islands (Cuba & Hispaniola)
Pic 2
Could only see 2, as in the previous post. Normally I am good at finding lizards that aren’t there?
Joe Burgess
Oh wait, in Pic 2; I think I see the 3rd Anolis!
It is on a rock to the right of the 2×4 frame and just below the rope and red object; head is to the left, facing the 2×4. Is this correct?
Could you tell this was troubling me…