Green Anole, (Anolis carolinensis)
Baby Green Anole, only about an hour old. The remainder of the yoke sac can be seen just behind the rear left leg.
A minute after this photo was taken the baby grabbed and swallowed it down; its first meal. Nature tries to waste nothing.


Description: maximum length 8 inches; bright green but can change color to light brown but always evenly hued;
whitish chin; females have light stripe down the back and males don't; three factors influence color and
change of color: camouflage, temperature, emotion. When on green vegetation or light background, tend to be
green; when on bark or dark background, tend to be brown. When temperatures are around 70 or higher, tend
to stay green; when in 60's are lower, tend to be brown. When males display for territory or females, turn
bright green; when males fight, the winner turns bright green and the loser turns brown. Both males and females
have dewlaps although males' slightly larger; used for breeding and territorial displays; Green Anoles in
Southwest Florida have cream-colored dewlaps while Green Anoles elsewhere have pinkish dewlaps. Mature males
also have ridge or crest down back called a "roach" which is also used in territorial and breeding displays.
Food: insects and occasionally Brown Anole hatchlings

Habitat: tree dweller in tropical forests and wooded areas; in West Indies, occupies upper trunk and canopy region
while Brown Anoles occupy lower trunk and ground region; in U.S., will stay on vegetation but may be closer to ground.

Range: entire state; cold tolerant enough to be found north to Tennessee

Lifespan: 2-3 years

Breeding: mates late spring to early summer; 1-2 eggs per clutch and several clutches each summer, about every
10-14 days; eggs laid in decaying vegetation higher up in trees; 60-90 days to hatch; hatchlings must leave
and establish own territories in other trees, and if canopy connected, will travel that way; in interrupted
woodlands, must come to ground to move to another tree and preyed upon there by Brown Anoles

Notes: usually tries to escape predators by running up; when threat displays don't work in establishing
territories, males may fight but battle usually not fatal for loser; if Green Anole and Brown Anole fight,
Green almost always wins and kills Brown; see notes below for Brown Anoles about shedding skin and "push-up" behavior.

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