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Species
Anolis carolinensis Nicholson et al. 2005
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Widely-distributed throughout the southeastern United States: North Carolina to Key West, Florida, and west to southest Oklahoma and central Texas. Recent introductions to Hawaii, Guam, and elsewhere.
Reference
- Conant, Roger & Joseph T. Collins. 1998. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians, Eastern/Central North America, 3rd edition, Houghton Mifflin Co, Boston.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
Male body length, as measured from the tip of the nose to the end of the trunk (i.e., snout–vent length, SVL), is about 15 % greater for males than for females. Adult males range about 50–70 mm SVL, while adult females range about 40–60 mm SVL. Both males and females are typically of a green hue, but can change to brown, with slight indications of patterning in the form of dark streaks or spots. Both the male and female green anoles have a pink throat fan (i.e. dewlap), which can be used during displays. The male dewlap, however is three times that of the female dewlap. Green anoles also have toe pads that are used when climbing up smooth surfaces.
References
- Conant, R and Collins, J T. 1998. Reptiles and Amphibians, Eastern/Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 616 pp.
- The Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis): Account by Thomas A. Jenssen, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
These lizards are native to the US, but have been introduced to many other places, including Hawaii, Guam, islands near Japan, and some Caribbean islands.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
Auffenberg, W. 1956. Additional records of Pleistocene lizards from Florida. Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 19: 157-167.
Baxter, L. R. 2001. Brain mediation of Anolis social dominance displays: III. Differential forebrain 3H-Sumatriptan binding in dominant vs. submissive males. Brain, Behavior and Evolution 57: 202-213.
Baxter, L. R., E. C. Clark, R. F. Ackermann, G. Lacan and W. P. Melega. 2001. Brain mediation of Anolis social dominance displays: II. Differential forebrain serotonin turnover, and effects of specific 5-HT Receptor Agonists. Brain, Behavior and Evolution 57: 185-201.
Clark, E. C. and L. R. Baxter. 2000. Mammal-like striatal functions in Anolis. I. Distribution of serotonin receptor subtypes, and absence of striosome and matrix organization. Brain, Behavior and Evolution 56: 235-248.
Clark, E. C., L. R. Baxter, L. S. Dure, R. F. Ackermann, G. F. Kemp and S. E. Bachus. 2000. Mammal-like striatal functions in Anolis. II. Distribution of dopamine D-1 & D-2 receptors, and a laminar pattern of basal ganglia sub-systems. Brain, Behavior and Evolution 56: 249-258.
Conant, R. and Collins, J. T. 1998. Reptiles and Amphibians, Eastern/Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 616 pp.
Holman, J. A. 1995. Pleistocene Amphibians and Reptiles in North America. Oxford University Press, New York 243 pp.
Lovern, M. B., M. M. Holmes and J. Wade. 2004. The green anole (Anolis carolinensis): A reptilian model for laboratory studies of reproductive morphology and behavior. ILAR Journal 45(1): 54-64.
Monks, S. P. 1881. A Partial Biography of the Green Lizard. The American Naturalist 15: 96-99.
Schettino, Lourdes Rodriguez. 1999. The Iguanid Lizards of Cuba. University Press of Florida, Gainesville 428 pp.
Schwartz, A. and R. W. Henderson. 1991. Amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies: descriptions, distributions, and natural history. University of Florida Press, Gainesville 720 pp.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
These lizards are very common, and have adapted well to the urbanization of their environment. They are most frequently found high in trees, on fences, around old buildings, on shrubs and vines, and less frequently, on the ground.
References
- Conant, R and Collins, J T. 1998. Reptiles and Amphibians, Eastern/Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 616 pp.
- The Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis): Account by Thomas A. Jenssen, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
The first occurrence of Anolis lizards in the fossil record in North America is during the Miocene (about 23-5 million years before present [ybp]). Fossils of Anolis carolinensis, the only native North American species, are predominantly from the Pleistocene epoch (about 1.8 million to 11,550 ybp), and are found primarily in the Appalachian region and southeastern United States. Fossils of A. carolinensis are found in most sites in Florida, although they also have been uncovered in a couple sites in Georgia. Specific localities include: (1) Kingston Saltpeter Cave in northwestern Georgia. It is believed that most of the herpetofaunal bones accumulated from the activity of raptors. Most material have been dated to approximately 10,300 ybp, from the very late Wisconsinan. (2) Ladds Quarry Site, also in northwestern Georgia, dates to approximately 10,290-10,940 ybp. (3) Reddick I Site in north-central Florida, likely Rancholabrean representing the Sangamonian Age. Most of the material here are likely the remains of pellets cast by barn owls. (4) Williston IIIA Site in north-central Florida is from the same age range as the Reddick I Site. (5) Arredondo Site in north-central Florida is a sinkhole and fissue fill complex. It is a little younger in age, ranging from Sangamonian to Wisconsinan. (6) Haile (Rancholabrean) Site in north-central Florida. Most fossils are found in sinkholes and fissues of the same approximate age as the Arredondo Site. (7) Devil's Den Chamber 3 in north-central Florida represents a sinkhole trap or cenote where vertebrates accumulated in large numbers in the late Wisconsinan (about 10,000 ybp) to present. (8) Sabertooth Cave in northwestern, peninsular Florida contains material which is thought to represent a very narrow window of time (likely very late Wisconsinan), since all deposits are found in a concentrated stratigraphic zone. (9) Ichetucknee River Site is in the far north, central part of the Florida peninsula.
References
- Holman, J A. 1995. Pleistocene Amphibians and Reptiles in North America. Oxford University Press, New York 243 pp.
- Auffenberg, W. 1956. Additional records of Pleistocene lizards from Florida. Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences. 19:157-167.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |
- Anolis carolinensis (VOIGT 1832)
- Lacerta principalis LINNAEUS 1758 (fide DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1837: 121)
- Anolis bullaris — DAUDIN 1802: 69 (part.)
- Dactyloa (Ctenocercus) carolinensis — FITZINGER 1843: 68
- Anolis principalis GRAY 1845: 202
- Anolis carolinensis — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1837: 120
- Anolis carolinensis — BOULENGER 1885: 43
- Anolis carolinensis — LINER 1994
- Anolis carolinensis — MCKEOWN 1996
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | The Reptile Database |
Source | No source database. |
Animalia: Chordata: Vertebrata: Reptilia: Squamata: Iguania: Iguanidae: Polychrotidae: Anolis
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | S. Tonia Hsieh |
Source | No source database. |