There’s more than just anole biologists congregating at the SICB 2012 meeting.
To say it’s been cold here in Charleston, SC would be an understatement. Tuesday night, after the conference tipped off, it was 25 degrees Fahrenheit. But today, the temperature picked up a bit and moved into the 50s. Since we know they don’t hibernate in the winter months, I thought it might be possible that the local anoles may take advantage of the sunny afternoon to do a little basking. Just as the poster session was underway at about 3pm, I decided to give it a shot and take a look around what would be prime Anolis carolinensis habitat in the spring and summer: the bushes and a brick wall around the pool.
Sure enough, I spotted one male and two females right away! I texted Bryan Falk immediately, and we set to flexing our off-season collecting muscles. Doing a quick tour around the conference center, we managed to observe 6 and catch 3. No anoles were injured during this brief collecting trip – perhaps only mildly perturbed 🙂
We spotted a female on a sun-drenched black lamp post. Nice warm spot on an otherwise cool day.
Here's a sweet lady I snatched from a vine-laden verandah at the back of the conference center.
Bryan Falk with female green anole. Note the winter plumage on the human.
I study comparative genomics of reptiles, birds, and mammals to understand substitution rate variation across lineages, the link between genotypes and phenotypes, and the evolution of cancer suppression.
- Hundreds of Genes Help to Resolve Green Anole Evolutionary History in North America - October 24, 2016
- The Genetics of Anolis Lizard Tail Regeneration: (Re)generating Major Internet Buzz - August 29, 2014
- Green Anoles, Genomic Evolution And Surfing (Wait, What?) - October 3, 2013
Grief
It is wrong to say that second lizard is particularly pretty?
We’re poorly served for lizards in the UK. Common lizards (increasingly UNcommon, sand lizards (very rare) and slow worm are all we have, so I’ve envious.
Lynn
We found an anole on our deck that was black. When my husband touched him he barely moved so we brought him in the house and he seems fine. I bought him a medium container and put mealworms and crickets in it but he will not eat. Should I put
him back outside? The nights are dropping to between 20 and 30 degrees. If I put him outside should I provide a warm place he can get in at night?
Lynn