On the Road–Part 4

tanjabrittonwriter 58 Comments

I have a new favorite reptile!

No, not the American Alligator I reported on in last week’s post. But a much smaller, much less intimidating reptile the color of an emerald who also wears blue eyeshadow. On many occasions, I have admired photographs of this attractive lizard in posts by fellow bloggers. In Texas, my husband and I personally made the acquaintance of the Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis).

From animaldiversity.org comes the following information about the anoles’ distribution:

Anolis carolinensis . . . is native to neotropical and nearctic regions. Anolis carolinensis occurs throughout much of the southeastern United States, extending north through parts of North Carolina, west to Texas, and south through Florida. While Florida was once the central portion of its United States distribution, today most Florida populations have been replaced by introduced anole species, . . . .

In other parts of its geographic range, A. carolinensis is considered an introduced species. It has become abundant in Hawaii since it was discovered in 1950. It also has been introduced and has flourished in the Ogasawara Islands of Japan, and in Cuba, the Bahamas, and Guam.

At Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, on the same day when we saw our first wild alligators, we also had the pleasure of observing our first wild Green Anole. Its sleek green body and long tail were conspicuous against a fence rail and we watched it do its lizard thing: walk, stop, bob its head, do push-ups, repeat. Then it added to the performance by projecting a reddish skin pouch from its throat. Wow!

We were impressed, but the display of what we later learned was a dewlap, was not put on for our entertainment but in hopes of attracting an anole girl (one was watching from nearby). We knew of dewlaps in moose, those long skin appendages that resemble a beard, but as opposed to the ungulates’ permanent pendulous structure, this lizard’s was temporary and collapsible. How cool is that?

Animaldiversity.org explains:

Anolis carolinensis is equipped with certain communication signals from birth. Most communication involves color variations, actions such as head bobbing or neck biting, or use of the dewlap. The dewlap is used for inter-gender communication, especially during the breeding season. Displaying the dewlap also may be used to determine competitive status between males; in these cases, dewlap displays are usually related to territorial boundary disputes. Head bobbing or courtship bobbing is performed by both males and females to communicate breeding status, but is also done while in a threatened state.

🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎

On the following day, another anole gave another very impressive performance. We were back at Goose Island State Park at a wildlife observation blind, where a Green Anole balanced on the fence right next to the bench we were sitting on. He looked just like the anole the day before.

The next time we glanced at him, he had changed his color from green to brown. Double-wow!

While we were watching, his color transformed once again before our eyes: brown being replaced by green. First on the legs, then the body, then part of the head.

But then Mr. Anole changed his mind and went back to brown.

Animaldiversity.org has the following fascinating facts about color changes in anoles:

Scale colors in green anoles vary. In most cases, these lizards range from shades of brown to green or gray. At times their coloring represents combinations of these colors. Color variation results from layers of pigmented cells called chromatophores. Three types of pigment cells are present: xanthophores, cyanophores, and melanophores, each responsible for different color variations. Green anoles are capable of changing scale color in response to their external environment. Many factors affect color change and variation; most often it is dependent upon temperature and excitation, such as increased activity or competition. Darker brown and black colors, produced by melanophores, typically signal cold or stressed conditions.

We did not see anything obvious that might have stressed the lizard, unless we were the cause for his stress. We hope not. Instead, we trust that Mrs. Lizard was duly impressed with Mr. Lizard’s push-ups and dewlap displays and that the world is richer thanks to the addition of another generation of Green Anoles.

🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎 🦎

This is part 4 of a series of posts about our road trip to Texas.

For part 1, click here.

For part 2, click here.

For part 3, click here.

58 thoughts on “On the Road–Part 4”

  2. Oh Du hast wunderschöne Bilder gemacht von den kleinen Eidechsen. Ich bin schwer begeistert. Wir haben auch ein paar gesehen, aber sie waren so schnell und ich war mit der Kamera auf Vögel fixiert. Ich genieße Deine Bilder und den schönen Grünen, den hätte ich gerne selber gesehen. Meine Anolis war braun gefleckt, aber sie hatte auch diesen kecken roten Hals. Ich bestimem sie meistens mit Google und bin mir nie sicher, ob ich richtig liege mit der Bestimmung.
    LG Maren

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    • Vielen Dank, liebe Maren. Ich hatte wirklich Glück mit diesen attraktiven Eidechsen. Es scheint ihnen nichts ausgemacht zu haben, beobachtet und fotografiert zu werden.

      Ich hatte einige Photos dieser Echsen von Bloggern in Florida und Texas gesehen, deshalb wußte ich, um wen es sich dabei handelte.

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  6. Given that you knew about green anoles before visiting Texas, were you specifically hoping to see some here, or did that prior knowledge suddenly come to the fore once you spotted your first green anole here?

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    • I really had no preconceived notions about wildlife encounters. But these anoles were very conspicuous and not shy at all. As soon as I saw them, I remembered the photos of fellow bloggers from Florida and Texas.

      Like

      Reply

  10. Aren’t anoles just the best! That first shot is soooo anole! They are characters and add so much to the garden. Glad you’ve been introduced and that you like them as much as…everyone else!

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  11. Amazing how quickly it can change colors!
    When I lived it Boston many decades ago, I bought a small palm plant. Once home I realized there was a stowaway on board, a green anole (presumably rode the truck from FL). It lived a couple years on top of the stove (when it wasn’t on, of course) because the it had a pilot light which kept it warm. New England is a bit too cold for these guys!

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  12. When I was in Florida for school, one of these little bubbas snuck into the apartment through the front door as I was bringing in groceries. The cat had a ball chasing it to no avail. I eventually coaxed it out the front door! 🦎🐈🚪🌴

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  14. I have never seen an Anole in person but these photos do the trick. I’m so impressed with his color changes and his pretty red throat. Dewlap sure isn’t a word you hear every day! 💚❤️

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    • Thank you, Ann. I really fell in love with these attractive little lizards. That first photo was a moment of absolute luck–he just peered over the edge of the fence and stayed still for a while. Made us very happy. 😊

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  17. What a handsome fellow! And such impressive displays and beautiful coloring. I too, especially love the first image, although all are lovely. I hope he finds a partner☺️ I am enjoying your birding adventures very much.

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  21. Hi, Mrs. Tanja-

    It is always fascinating to hear of one’s discoveries of new animals when one travels to a new area! For example, when we visited Colorado last summer, we were astonished at all of the “new” animals that we had never seen before! The chipmunks were my favorite!

    I am sure that these unique animals we saw are normal occurrences for you! Likewise, we have so many of the small green anoles like you saw (as many as three or four by our doorway each day during the summer) that we consider them something everyone is familiar with! How neat that you were able to see this reptile for the first time!

    ~Gavin

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I appreciate your visit and comment, Gavin.

      Your observation is so true: some animals that are commonplace for some of us, are rare for others. I enjoy lizards wherever we see them, but these green anoles really stole my heart.

      I can completely relate to your admiration of chipmunks. They might be common here (at least above a certain elevation), but they never fail to make me smile.

      Be well,

      Tanja

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  22. I really love these little creatures. There’s one that’s moved back onto a plant outside the window next to my computer, and occasionally I see it showing off that dewlap. It will change colors, too, but I’ve never seen the process as clearly as you did; that must have been as entertaining as it was interesting.

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    • I also fell in love with these lovely lizards. How fun to have one live on one of your plants. We have lizards here, but they seem shyer and less conspicuous than the anoles. We were thrilled to be able to see the dewlaps and the color changes so clearly.

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  25. Wow, this brings back memories. Great portfolio of photos. We too encountered a Green Anole somewhere in Texas, and your description of the press-ups and the extending dewlap reminds me how we were entranced by this little guy. Who knew that lizards could be so much fun?!

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  26. Love the Anoles. You got to witness their two cool features (beyond just their pretty lime suit) – their attraction seeking dewlap and their color morphing capabilities. I have to admit, for the longest time I thought was just a color distinction between the sexes until I finally witnessed the transformation.

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    • Thank you, Diana. Getting to meet these handsome anoles and watch them perform their party tricks was a memorable part of our trips. I’m sure you and I both have come across them during your visits to the Southwest and remember them well. They are fascinating creatures.

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