Anole Annals

Last Thursday, the Kokua Line column of the Honolulu Star Advertiser fielded a question on how to get rid of brown anoles. The answer was: no way (the officer at the state Vector Control Branch told the author that if she found out “how to eradicate these lizards, to be sure to call him back and let him know.”). However, the local citizenry disagreed, and in the 23 comments (see below), provided a number of solutions, as well as debate on the wisdom of anole eradication. Several readers also made the claim, echoing that heard in Florida and discussed here, that brown anoles supplant greens (also introduced to Hawaii).

nitestalker2 22 hours ago

get a couple of cats. all the cats i’ve ever had have taken care of the b52s*, birds, mice and rats, geckos of every stripe, etc. had one that would bring all her mice/rat kills very proudly to the front door mat and leave them there while purring for applause. she was a very efficient killer.

4 people liked this. Like ReplyReply

*Editor’s Note: according to my friend, Dan Devaney, “b52s” refers to “Hawaii’s unofficial state bird, the B-52 Flying Cockroach.” For more information, go here.

Page One of Downloadable Information Guide for This Year’s Evolution Meetings

By Jonathan Losos

On June 3, 2011

In All Posts

Lizard Noosing Material Update

By Jonathan Losos

On June 2, 2011

In Notes from the Field, Research Methods

Equaline? CVS? 'Fraid not.

A few months back, we had a lively discussion of the best material to use to make a lizard noose.

I and others went old school and advocated dental floss as the lariat of choice. In this vein, I have an update. Now in the field in the Bahamas, Jason Kolbe and I have been using two newish brands of the waxy stuff, and neither of us has a good thing to say. I have been using a new type, “Just the Basics,” which seems to be a CVS store brand. All I can say is: Avoid!!! By “basics,” they mean “basically terrible.” It frays very quickly, so that by the time you’ve snagged your third lizard, you have to make another noose. Very annoying. Meanwhile, Jason has been using a floss produced by Equaline. He gives it two thumbs down, claiming that it disintegrates—believe it or not—after a single lizard capture.

First Post by an Aspiring Anologist

By Travis Ingram

On June 1, 2011

In Notes from the Field

I’m writing this en route back to Vancouver, after getting my first taste of anole fieldwork in the Bahamas the last few weeks. This summer I’ll be finishing my PhD thesis at UBC on the evolution of food web structure in marine and freshwater fish (see here for my previous research). For my post-doc, I’ll be working with Jonathan Losos at Harvard, asking some related questions using anoles as a study organism.

To get to know the system, I’ve been working with Jonathan, Rob Pringle, and others, helping to set up a terrific experiment around Staniel Cay in the Exumas (see Jonathan’s post for details). It’s been my first foray into anole ecology, and really to terrestrial ecology in any habitat. It was slow going at first, but I learned a few food web sampling techniques, and rapidly improved my ability to spot anoles in the vegetation on small islands. I spent most days helping to spray paint Anolis sagrei to estimate population sizes on the islands.

How the Presence of Curly Tailed Lizards Affects Brown Anole Behavior

By Jonathan Losos

On May 30, 2011

In Notes from the Field

Over at Chipojolab, the Chipojo Bobo himself and his merry band of ethologists are providing regular updates on their research on the behavior of brown anoles, and how it is affected by the presence of predatory curly-tailed lizards. Check it out, and follow the exploits of Nolan, the conch-shell inhabiting bull sagrei.

p.s. In Cuba, the locals refer to crown giant anoles, members of the A. equestris group as “chipojos.” False chameleons, Chamaeleolis, are called “chipojo bobos,” meaning, more-or-less, clumsy crown giant anoles.

Traveling With Ethanol? Think Twice.

By Yoel Stuart

On May 30, 2011

In Research Methods

Any field biologist you talk to likely has pickled specimens in formalin or ethanol at some point during her career. Similarly, ask a molecular ecologist, and it’s probable that he’s preserved some tissue samples in ethanol. It’s also likely that those biologists then transported their specimens or tissues as carry-on or checked baggage on their flights home.

Ethanol and formalin, however, are hazardous materials and bringing them on a plane breaks several laws and can be punished very severely.

Find the Anoles

By Jonathan Losos

On May 29, 2011

In Anole Annals Trivia

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.

Sex requires more than just testosterone…

By mjohnson216

On May 27, 2011

In New Research

There are few topics more exciting than anole reproduction, but there’s still much we have to learn about the neuroendocrine mechanisms that allow these creatures to do the deed. We know that sex steroid hormones facilitate reproductive behaviors across a diversity of animals, and anoles are no exception. In particular, an enzyme called aromatase regulates both male and female sexual behaviors by synthesizing estradiol from testosterone. In a recent study using green anoles (Anolis carolinensis), Rachel Cohen and Juli Wade of Michigan State University examined whether lizard sex and season influenced the expression of aromatase in areas of the brain that are known to influence vertebrate reproductive behavior (the preoptic area (POA), the amygdala, and the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)).

Thirsty, Thirsty Anoles

By Jonathan Losos

On May 26, 2011

In Natural History Observations

It’s been very dry here in the Bahamas; we’ve barely seen any rain at all. So, when a few drops splattered mid-afternoon, out came the lizards, slurping up every droplet they could find. In the subsequent 30 minutes, I found six Bahamian green anoles (A. smaragdinus), compared to a rate of 1-2/hour for the rest of the day (this rate, in turn, twice as high as in previous days because it was cloudy and cool).

Ever watched an anole drink when it’s thirsty? This video shows what it looks like.

Name That Evolutionary Icon

By Jonathan Losos

On May 25, 2011

In Notes from the Field

While out studying everyone’s favorite evolutionary radiation in the Bahamas, one can’t help but come across exemplars of another important evolutionary group, pictured above. Can anyone tell us what that group is, and what its place is in the history of evolutionary biology?