Friday, August 03, 2007

Anoles


A native Green Anole sunning on our community dock. Leapin' lizard for sure, he jumped off the dock onto a plant a foot away when he realized he was between me and a Cuban Anole.


An invader from the Florida Key, the Cuban (Brown) Anole, watched him from afar. Survival of the fittest, but at this point the Green Anoles are down.

[Note from one of my blog viewers: "I think your "brown anole" is actually a green anole in its brown color phase. True brown anoles have a different body shape than the green anoles, and they have colored patterns on their backs. Green anoles are sometimes green and sometimes brown; their color changes with the temperature, their moods, etc. What you have posted is a brown-colored green anole." ~~ Dave]

Thank you so much, Dave. I'm always interested in feedback and would love to get more.

Blog viewers, feel free to weigh in on this and educate us all. We have both varieties of anoles in this area and Dave is correct in reminding us of the color changes of green anoles. I am not familiar with the body shape and colored patterns, so this will be a good opportunity for me to distinguish between them.

3 comments:

Annie Patterson said...

Brown or Green, they are both darling!!

Anonymous said...

DJ,
I was checking out the blog today and wanted to comment on a few things. Mellissa and I were able to witness a sea turle nest hatch one evening. It was quite an experience.
Now on to the green anole. I studied these lizards way back when in some Biology class. If I remember correctly the green anole will change color to blend with its surroundings mostly as a defense mechanism. If you are ever quick enough to catch one try placing it on somthing brown. Then place it on something green. It might just change right before your eyes.
Lance

Barrier Island Girl said...

Riiiiiiiiiight, Lance. I'll get right on that, catching ANY anole to see if it changes colors. Riiiiiight. HA!

DJ