Anole Annals

Urban environments often create a diversity of novel habitats that differ from natural areas in thermal variance and spatial organization. Sometimes this results in a broader range of usable microhabitats for species able to thrive in human-disturbed areas. A few days ago I discovered such a microhabitat in an unlikely place. Last October, after getting mucked up seining for turtles in a slow moving Alabama stream, I quickly rinsed my muddy boots with a water hose and tossed them absentmindedly into a sunny spot to dry. There they remained until I went out a few days ago (January 30) with my daughter to look for green anoles coming out to enjoy a brief break in winter weather. Temperatures for the day were expected to reach the upper 60’s° F. Even in midwinter, green anoles (Anolis carolinensis) will sometimes emerge from their hibernacula to sun if the weather is right. As we walked outside, I noticed such an individual emerging from one of my steel-toe boots; he was covered in a dry layer of mud that most likely still lined the insole from my turtle trip last fall. He was quite sluggish so my daughter (3 ½) was able to inspect him for a moment before he got spooked and scurried off to a sunny brick wall some distance away. This was the only anole we found for several hours, so we called it quits and went looking for salamanders. Later that evening, once the sun was long down and temperatures had returned to a squamate-chilling 52° F, my skepticism got the best of me, and I returned to the boot for another look. After probing around a bit I found what I was looking for: a little green lizard had returned to bed down for the rest of the mild Alabama winter.

Photo from The Reptile Database.

Recently here in Trinidad, West Indies, I came across an Anolis aeneus. I observed the individual at 1930 h; sun had set at 1810 h. It was perched vertically on a wall, roughly 1 m off the ground facing down – as if in a foraging position. There was a bright light shining over it. I’m curious as to whether this type of behavior has been noted before; are these anoles also known to be active at night?

I was watching the new Amazon Prime Show, Mad Dogs. Episode 6 is called “Leslie” named after an Anolis cuvieri, which is a central character in the episode. I grabbed a screen shot of the animal, and then another screen shot with a character holding it. The show is set in Belize ( using my Anolis Forensics Skills I deduced it was not filmed there). I did verify later it was filmed in Puerto Rico.

This may be the most Anolis “screen time” I have ever seen in a movie or show.  Anolis may be about to breakout into mainstream Pop Culture; keep an eye out for the Oscar – Best use of Anolis in a Major Motion Picture.

Read–and hear–Chris Austin of LSU tell all about Red Stick’s Green Anoles. Plus, the photo gallery has a nifty photo of a kestrel with a green anole in its talons.

Available as a print on Nadilyn Beato’s Etsy shop, along with lovely drawings of many other animals.

Your frugality has paid off! Through Wednesday, zazzle.com is having a 30% sale. That’s $15 per calendar. Stop missing appointments and get your calendar today. Code: SEMIYEARSALE

While you’re shopping on zazzle, check out the Anole Annals store there. All custom items are on sale for 30% off, including the ecomorph line of watches, ties, playing cards and more.