Natural History Observations – Page 32

: The Lizard Keeper’s Handbook. p 101

In his book, The Lizard Keeper’s Handbook (1997. Advanced Vivarium Stystems, Inc.), Philippe de Vosjoli explains at length how to select prey items of appropriate sizes to feed to pet lizards. I agree 100% with what he wrote. However, I must say that not all lizards apply these rules under natural conditions (I guess they were absent from class on the day that lesson was taught). Here are some photographs I took of brown anoles and Swinhoe’s tree lizards in my study area that preyed on prey items that most certainly did not fall within the ideal prey size categories.

1. An Anolis sagrei male with a large caterpillar.

2. An Anolis sagrei female with the remains of a grasshopper that she had had in her mouth when we captured her.

3. A Japalura swinhonis female that rushed in to grab a beetle grub that was exposed when we accidentally knocked over a dead betelnut palm (Areca catecha) in our study area.

4. A Japalura swinhonis male that captured an adult Clanis bilineata in the secondary forest in our study area.

And I believe that anyone who works with the brown anole (Anolis sagrei) would agree with me that these lizards can do some truly amazing things, as can be seen from the photos above. One of the most mind-boggling things I have found in the stomach contents of some of these lizards are centipedes. On one occasion I found a 43 mm long Chinese red-headed centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans) in the stomach of a brown anole male (SVL = 54 mm). Not only was the prey almost as long as the body length of the predator, but centipedes are venomous. It takes guts to take on such a meal!

Brown Anoles Also Eat Butterflies And Moths

By Gerrut Norval

On May 12, 2011

In All Posts, Natural History Observations

Here are three photographs I took of brown anoles preying on lepidopterans. In our diet studies lepidopterans were one of the main prey types, although, as can be expected, the larvae outnumbered the adults as prey. Amazingly, the lizards even ate larvae that had hair, which would cause an irritating burning sensation if it comes in contact with your skin.

They Don’t Eat Butterflies, Do They?

By Jonathan Losos

On May 10, 2011

In Natural History Observations

Photo by Larry Ditto. http://kacproductions.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Reptiles-and-others/G0000aYUEKKoWeyY/I00001RHu91IeOnI

Recently, a colleague and I were discussing how university greenhouses could be more profitably used if they were filled with anoles. This led us to discussion of one particular local greenhouse, full of butterflies nattering about for no apparent purpose. I suggested that this would be a particularly good spot to introduce some anoles, because food would be at the ready, but she questioned whether anoles would, indeed, eat butterflies. I claimed they would, and she back-pedaled, stating that surely A. carolinensis at the least was not swift enough for such a feat.

Neither of us knowing the answer, we decided that some research must be done, so quickly moved to the computer. One quick Google Image search proved her wrong on all counts. Above is the most beautiful of the counterpoints, and here is the story that goes with it, from photographer Larry Ditto of McAllen, Texas: “What can I say? I walked out into my front yard where there is a butterfly garden and saw this anole eating a queen. The lizard was climbing an arching trellis with the butterfly in its mouth. I assume it caught the queen as the butterfly fed at one of our mist flowers (there were many other queens nectaring at these plants). I grabbed the camera and made many photos while the anole swallowed its prey.”

Great Tales of Florida Anoles

By Jonathan Losos

On May 5, 2011

In Introduced Anoles, Natural History Observations

From Dust Tracks on the Web

In a recent post, AA mentioned Janson Jones’ (Dust Tracks on the Web) report on catching a magnificent knight anole. Turns out that Jones is not only a kindred spirit, but a keen observer and an excellent photographer. Over the course of the last few days, he has posted a series of stories of observations of Florida anoles that are worth checking out.

Just a few comments. In “Clash of the Anole Titans” (photo above), he tells of a territorial battle between two male green anoles. Ultimately, the fight concludes when one male loses his grip and falls to the ground. Those who study the functional capabilities of anoles are always surprised at the great sticking ability of the anole toepad, much greater than is needed to support the lizard’s body weight (anoles can hang from a single toe!). Perhaps this ability has evolved, not for every day living, but for exceptional circumstances, such as prolonged, hand-to-hand combat or hanging on to a mini-van.

A Royal Anole

By Yoel Stuart

On April 30, 2011

In Natural History Observations

Paper figure; Anolis principalis, by R.W. Shufeldt

With all the hoopla over the royal wedding between Prince William and Miss Kate Middleton, I thought it necessary to Google “Anolis Prince William” to see whether the future king had had any interactions with this blog’s most noble subjects during his bachelorhood.

The first link was to this paper, published in 1883 in The American Naturalist. It is a brief natural history note detailing the habits of the American Chameleon, known then as Anolis principalis. Today, we know it as Anolis carolinensis.

An early sentence reads: “This singular interest [in lizards] amounts to positive fascination, as we come to know the anolidae, and I assure you our little American chameleon is one of the most engaging of the group…” (pp. 919).

Man Bites Dog

By Yoel Stuart

On April 21, 2011

In Natural History Observations

We’ve had a number of posts here at Anole Annals about lizards falling prey to snakes. Neil Losin, an anole biologist blogging over at Day’s Edge Productions, tells us a different story. Check it out!

Vine Snake Bites Off More Than It Can Swallow

By Martha Muñoz

On April 18, 2011

In Natural History Observations

Vine snake tries to chow down on male Anolis longitibialis. Photo: M. Muñoz

Snakes are one of the most important predators of anoles. Recently on this blog, a beautiful series of photos were posted, showing an eyelash pit viper make quick work of an ill-fated Anolis limifrons. This makes sense, right? The viper has a quick strike, a potent dose of venom, and the anole is quite small relative to its predator.

What about when the tables are turned, and the lizard seems the better contender? On a trip to the Dominican Republic I came across a vine snake(Uromacer frenatus), fortunately I had my boots to avoid snake bites. It was trying with all its might to make a meal of an enormous male Anolis longitibialis. This feisty male was at least 7 centimeters in body length and my impression is that the lizard put up a good fight. Although it was dead, its nuchal crest was still raised when I came across this grim spectacle. In Jaragua National Park the habitat is composed of big limestone rocks with lots of nooks and crannies. Male A. longitibialis defend these rocks as their territories, and my guess is that when the snake came knocking, this guy stayed and held his ground. How the puny snake managed to capture and subdue the lizard, however, is still a mystery. I came back a few hours later to check on the snake’s progress and, to my surprise, the snake had completely abandoned the project, leaving the lizard to rot on the rock. It’s possible that my photo snapping had put him off his meal, but I think he may have bitten off more than he could swallow. The snake may have won the battle, but he didn’t win the war. Keep reading to see more pictures of this interesting encounter.

Anolis limifrons Down the Hatch

By Jonathan Losos

On April 4, 2011

In Natural History Observations

There’s a nice sequence of an eyelash viper swallowing an Anolis limifrons here (scroll down).

Principle of Unsympathetic Magic

By Yoel Stuart

On March 30, 2011

In Natural History Observations

The cover of Anolis Newsletter III, supposedly resembling Ernest Williams

“It was while walking along a hedge row in the Dominican Republic, listening to a complaint that I and some of my co-workers did not frame hypotheses every day while in the field, that I invented (or recognized) the PRINCIPLE OF UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC. This states that, if one arrives at any firm and vivid conviction about matters of fact or theory in the field, the NEXT observation will provide a contradiction.

“The principle is easily confirmed by any field worker. Note, however, that NATURE IS NOT DECEIVED. No opinion merely pretended to, i.e. not held with fierce conviction, will be responded to by a conclusive observation. The MALICE OF NATURE prohibits the PRINCIPLE OF UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC from being a source of satisfaction to the field worker.”

—Ernest E. Williams in “The Third Anolis Newsletter,” 1977.

The Principle of Unsympathetic Magic, once you’ve learned of it, surfaces everywhere.