View source for Anolis carolinensis

{{Short description|Species of reptile}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=September 2021}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Green anole
| image = Anole Lizard Hilo Hawaii edit.jpg
| image_caption = Typical green color (above) and brown form (below)
| image2 = Anolis-carolinensis-0709.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author1=Frost, D.R. |author2=Hammerson, G.A. |date=2020 |title=''Anolis carolinensis'' |page=e.T64188A18972474 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T64188A18972474.en |access-date=11 June 2022}}</ref>
| status2 = G5
| status2_system = TNC
| status2_ref = <ref name="NatureServe">{{cite web|title=Anolis carolinensis|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106150/Anolis_carolinensis|website=[[NatureServe]] Explorer|access-date=17 April 2024}}</ref>
| genus = Anolis
| species = carolinensis
| authority = [[Friedrich Siegmund Voigt|Voigt]], 1832<ref name=Voigt>Voigt F.S. 1832: In Cuvier's Das Thierreich, geordnet nach seiner Organisation: als Grundlage der Naturgeschichte der Thiere und Einleitung in die vergleichende Anatomie, Vol. 2: 71.</ref>
}}

'''''Anolis carolinensis''''' or '''green anole''' ({{IPAc-en|US|audio=en-us-anole.ogg|ə|ˈ|n|oʊ|.|l|i|}}) (among other names below) is a tree-dwelling species of [[anole lizard]] native to the [[southeastern United States]] and introduced to islands in the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] and [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]]. A small to medium-sized lizard, the green anole is a [[Anolis ecomorphs|trunk-crown ecomorph]] and can change its color to several shades from brown to green.

Other names include the '''Carolina anole''', '''Carolina green anole''', '''American anole''', '''American green anole''', '''North American green anole''' and '''red-throated anole'''. It is commonly called '''chameleon''' in the southeastern United States and sometimes referred to as the '''American chameleon''' (typically in the pet trade) due to its color-changing ability; however, it is not a true [[Chamaeleonidae|chameleon]].

== Taxonomy ==
''Anolis carolinensis'' is a [[species]] of the large lizard [[genus]] ''[[Anolis]]'' within the family [[Dactyloidae]] (anole lizards). This species was named by [[Friedrich Siegmund Voigt]] (1781-1850) in 1832.<ref name="Voigt" />

Phylogenetic evidence indicates that the Carolina anole belongs to the [[Anolis carolinensis anole series|''Anolis carolinensis'' anole series]], a wider [[clade]] of [[Caribbean]] ''Anolis'' which are all also known as "green anoles". This group is composed of mid-sized [[Anolis ecomorphs#Trunk-crown ecomorph|trunk-crown anoles]] with large, conspicuously elongated heads and extreme levels of [[sexual dimorphism]]. Other members of this thirteen-species clade include ''[[Anolis brunneus|A. brunneus]] & [[Anolis smaragdinus|A. smaragdinus]]'' from the [[The Bahamas|Bahamas]], ''[[Anolis longiceps|A. longiceps]]'' from [[Navassa Island]], ''[[Anolis maynardii|A. maynardii]]'' from the [[Cayman Islands]], and ''[[Anolis allisoni|A. allisoni]]'' & ''[[Anolis porcatus|A. porcatus]]'' from [[Cuba]]; ''A. carolinensis'' is the only member of this clade native to the American mainland. Genetic analysis indicates that ''A. carolinensis'' originates from an [[oceanic dispersal]] event of an ancestral green anole from Cuba to the southern United States during the late [[Miocene]] or [[Pliocene]]. This is a rare example of an insular species successfully colonizing the mainland of a continent rather than the more common vice versa, although several other Caribbean animal and plant groups have similarly successfully colonized mainland North America via [[Florida]]. The present diversity of Central and South American anoles is also thought to originate from a colonization of the American mainland by an insular Caribbean anole taxon.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Glor |first1=Richard E. |last2=Losos |first2=Jonathan B. |last3=Larson |first3=Allan |date=2005 |title=Out of Cuba: overwater dispersal and speciation among lizards in the Anolis carolinensis subgroup |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02550.x |journal=Molecular Ecology |language=en |volume=14 |issue=8 |pages=2419–2432 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02550.x |pmid=15969724 |bibcode=2005MolEc..14.2419G |issn=0962-1083}}</ref>

== Description ==
The anole is a small to medium-sized lizard, with a slender body. The head is long and pointed with ridges between the eyes and nostrils, and smaller ones on the top of the head. The toes have adhesive pads to facilitate climbing. Green anoles use jumping for their primary means of locomotion.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kuo |first1=Chi-Yun |last2=Gillis |first2=Gary B. |last3=Irschick |first3=Duncan J. |date=2012 |title=Take this broken tail and learn to jump: the ability to recover from reduced in-air stability in tailless green anole lizards [ Anolis carolinensis (Squamata: Dactyloidae)]: Locomotor Recovery in Tailless Green Anoles |url=https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article-lookup/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01958.x |journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |language=en |volume=107 |issue=3 |pages=583–592 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01958.x}}</ref> They exhibit sexual dimorphism, the males being fifteen percent larger.<ref name="Jensen" /> Adult males within a population can be classified within a heavyweight and a lightweight morph.<ref name=H&B>{{cite journal|author=Jerry F. Husak |author2= Duncan J. Irschick |author3= Jay J. Meyers |author4= Simon P. Lailvaux |author5= Ignacio T. Moore |title= Hormones, sexual signals, and performance of green anole lizards (''Anolis carolinensis'') |journal=Hormones and Behavior |volume= 52 |issue= 3 |date= 2007-09-01 |pages= 360–367 |issn= 0018-506X |doi=10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.05.014|pmid= 17612540 |s2cid= 8600107 }}</ref> The male [[dewlap]] (throat fan) is three times the size of the female's and bright orange to red, whereas that of the female is lighter in color. The dewlap is usually pink for ''Anolis carolinensis'' (more orange-red in ''A. sagrei'') and is very rarely present in females. The color of the dewlap is variable and different from the lizard eye to the human eye. Green anoles are thought to be capable of seeing a larger range of the UV spectrum, and that the dewlap reflects ultraviolet light to attract mates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Stoehr |first1=Andrew M. |last2=McGraw |first2=Kevin J. |date=2001 |title=Ultraviolet Reflectance of Color Patches in Male ''Sceloporus undulatus'' and ''Anolis carolinensis'' |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1566045 |journal=Journal of Herpetology |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=168–171 |doi=10.2307/1566045 |jstor=1566045 |issn=0022-1511}}</ref> Female anoles do, however, often have a dorsal line down their back. Extension of the dewlap from the throat is used for communication. Males can form a pronounced [[Dorsum (anatomy)|dorsal]] ridge behind the head when displaying or when under stress. Females and juveniles have a prominent white stripe running along their spine, a feature most males lack.

Adult males are usually {{convert|12.5 - 20.3|cm|abbr=on}} long, with about 60-70% of which is made up of its tail. They have a body length, also known as a snout to vent length (SVL), up to {{convert|7.5|cm|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Brown |first1=Richard P. |last2=Griffin |first2=Samuel |date=2005 |title=Lower selected body temperatures after food deprivation in the lizard Anolis carolinensis |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2004.07.005 |journal=Journal of Thermal Biology |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=79–83 |doi=10.1016/j.jtherbio.2004.07.005 |bibcode=2005JTBio..30...79B |issn=0306-4565}}</ref> and can weigh from {{convert|3|-|7|g|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Jensen>[https://books.google.com/books?id=F4ffa47N9wwC&pg=PA296 John B. Jensen. Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, 2008. Green Anole p. 296.] {{ISBN|0820331112}}</ref><ref>[http://srelherp.uga.edu/lizards/anocar.htm Savannah River Ecology Laboratory]</ref><ref>[http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Anolis+carolinensis&guide=Lizards&cl=US/GA Animal Diversity Web, p. 1]</ref><ref>[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Anolis_carolinensis.html Animal Diversity Web, p. 2]</ref>

===Coloration and color morphs===
[[File:Anolis carolinensis (male&female) by Robert Michniewicz.jpg|thumb|Contrasting colors. The prominent white dorsal stripe is characteristic of females.]]
[[File:Anolis carolinensis V.JPG|thumb|''Anolis carolinensis'' on [[Star Jasmine]], [[South Carolina]], demonstrating [[camouflage]]]]
Colour varies from brown to green and can be changed like many other kinds of lizards, but anoles are closely related to [[iguana]]s<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Tree&id=81957&lvl=1&p=mapview&p=has_linkout&p=blast_url&p=genome_blast&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=3&unlock NCBI Taxonomy Browser]</ref> and are not true [[chameleons]]. Although ''A. carolinensis'' is sometimes called an 'American chameleon', true chameleons do not naturally occur in the Americas, and ''A. carolinensis'' is not the only lizard currently in its area of distribution capable of changing colour. In contrast, many species of true chameleons display a greater range of color adaptation, though some can hardly change color at all.<ref name=Jensen/><ref name=Martof>[https://books.google.com/books?id=YDklngEACAAJ Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia. Bernard S. Martof, Julian R. Harrison, III, William M. Palmer, Joseph R. Bailey. University of North Carolina Press, 1989.] {{ISBN|0807842524}}</ref>

Typical coloration for a green anole ranges from bright green to dark brown, with little variation in between. The color spectrum is a result of three layers of pigment cells or [[chromatophore]]s: the xanthophores, responsible for the yellow pigmentation; cyanophores, responsible for the blue pigmentation, and melanophores, responsible for the brown and black pigmentation. The anole changes its color depending on mood, level of stress, activity level and as a social signal (for example, displaying [[Dominance (ethology)|dominance]]). ''Anolis carolinensis'' takes darker coloration as its base color at the beginning of the breeding season when it is generally cooler, and the adult males change their body coloration to more greenish when they need to advertise their territorial possession.<ref name=CHerp>{{cite journal |author1=Shinji Yabuta |author2=Suzuki-Watanabe, A. |title=Function of body Coloration in Green Anoles (''Anolis carolinensis'') at the Beginning of the Breeding Season: Advertisement Signaling and Thermoregulation |journal=Current Herpetology |year=2011 |volume=30 |issue=2, UniBio Press, 2011 |pages=155–58 |doi=10.3105/hsj.30.155 |s2cid=89681106 |url=https://doi.org/10.3105/hsj.30.155}}</ref> Although often claimed, evidence does not support that they do it in response to the color of the background ([[camouflage]]).<ref>{{cite journal | author1=Jenssen | author2=Greenberg | author3=Hovde | year=1995 | title=Behavioral profile of free-ranging male ''Anolis carolinensis'' across breeding and post-breeding seasons | journal=Herpetol. Monographs | volume=9 | pages=41–62 | doi= 10.2307/1466995| jstor=1466995 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | author=Losos, J.B. | year=2011 | title=Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree: Ecology and Adaptive Radiation of Anoles | pages=279–281 | publisher=University of California Press | isbn=978-0-520-26984-2 }}</ref> Whether they do it in response to temperature ([[thermoregulation]]) is less clear, with studies both supporting it<ref>{{cite journal | author1=Claussen, D.L. | author2=Art, G.R. | year=1981 | title=Heating and cooling rates in ''Anolis carolinensis'' and comparisons with other lizards | journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology | volume=69 | issue=1 | pages=23–29 | doi=10.1016/0300-9629(81)90634-4 }}</ref> and contradicting it.<ref name=CHerp/> Changing color while under a sharply contrasting shadow can cause a "stencil effect", where the outline of the shadow is temporarily imprinted in the animal's coloration (see image in [[#Gallery|gallery]], below). When stressed—while fighting, for example—the skin just behind the lizard's eyes may turn black independently from the rest of the animal's coloration, forming "[[wikt:postocular|postocular]] spots".

A lack in one of the [[Biological pigment|pigment]] [[gene]]s causes color exceptions. These color [[mutation]]s are also called phases. The rare blue-phased green anole lacks xanthophores, which results in a blue, rather than red, often pastel blue, anole. These specimens have become popular recently in the pet trade market. When the anole is completely lacking xanthophores, it is said to be [[Axanthism|axanthic]] and the animal will have a completely pastel- or baby-blue hue. They are extremely rare—usually produced in one of every 20,000 individual anoles in the wild. Another phase is the yellow-phased green anole, which lacks cyanophores. Colonies of these rare color-phased anoles have been reported, but anoles with these color mutations rarely live for long, since the green color provides camouflage for hunting down prey, as well as hiding from predators.

==Distribution and habitat==
This species is native to [[North America]], where it is found mainly in the [[subtropical]] southeastern parts of the continent. Anoles are the most abundant on the [[Atlantic Coastal Plain]]s in [[North Carolina]], [[South Carolina]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[Florida]], and on the [[Gulf Coast]] in [[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]], and [[Texas]], where they extend inland as far as [[Texas Hill Country]] and the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|DFW Metroplex]]; they have also been recorded in [[Tamaulipas]], [[Mexico]], but it is mostly likely an introduction. In the Carolinas, they are found on the coastal plains as far north as [[False Cape State Park|False Cape]] in [[Virginia]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=False Cape State Park |url=https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/sites/false-cape-state-park/ |access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> and in the southern piedmont of North Carolina, but throughout South Carolina,<ref name=Martof/> while in Georgia they are widespread except in the [[Blue Ridge Mountains|Blue Ridge]] region.<ref name=Jensen/>

The species has been introduced into various locales in the Pacific and the Caribbean: [[Hawaii]], the [[Ogasawara Islands]], the [[Northern Mariana Islands]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Anguilla]], [[Palau]], and [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], as well as the [[Canary Islands]].  In 2005 they were recognized and listed as an invasive alien species in the Ogasawara Islands of Japan for causing insect population collapse.<ref>Toda, M., Takahashi, H., Nakagawa, N., Sukigara, N. (2010). Ecology and Control of the Green Anole (''Anolis carolinensis''), an Invasive Alien Species on the Ogasawara Islands. In: Kawakami, K., Okochi, I. (eds) Restoring the Oceanic Island Ecosystem. Springer, Tokyo. {{doi|10.1007/978-4-431-53859-2_22}}.</ref> Green anoles have also been considered successful invaders as they have made their way into parts of Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Michaelides |first1=Sozos N. |last2=Goodman |first2=Rachel M. |last3=Crombie |first3=Ronald I. |last4=Kolbe |first4=Jason J. |date=2017 |editor-last=Cowie |editor-first=Robert |title=Independent introductions and sequential founder events shape genetic differentiation and diversity of the invasive green anole ( Anolis carolinensis ) on Pacific Islands |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ddi.12704 |journal=Diversity and Distributions |language=en |volume=24 |issue=5 |pages=666–679 |doi=10.1111/ddi.12704 |issn=1366-9516}}</ref> They have been sighted in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] and [[San Diego County]] of southern [[California]], with sightings in [[San Diego]] going at least as far back as 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Non-Native Reptiles and Amphibians Established In California |author=Gary Nafis |url=http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/a.carolinensis.html |publisher=CaliforniaHerps.com |year=2013 |access-date=2013-02-01}}</ref>

''A. carolinensis'' is arboreal in nature but may be seen on the ground and frequently seen on shrubs in the low country of the Carolinas. However, it can live in cities like Atlanta with little trouble  so long as there is plentiful vegetation and bugs to eat.  One can observe them on steps, trellises, and railings adjacent to foliage; on particularly hot summer days they may seek to cool off on indoor walls or on wrap around porches of older buildings, and in the former case can simply be captured in a shoebox and gently placed outdoors.  It is common on roadsides, the edges of forests where there are shrubs and vines, but also construction sites having abundant foliage and sunlight. Their preferred habitat is open pine communities with a greater shrub density, it may harbor a greater abundance of anoles <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Schaefer |first1=Richard |title=Habitat Selection by ''Anolis carolinensis'' (Green Anole) in Open Pine Forests in Eastern Texas |journal=Southeastern Naturalist |year=2009 |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=63–76 |doi=10.1656/058.008.s210 |s2cid=16829563 |url=https://doi.org/10.1656/058.008.s210.}}</ref> where they are able to watch for prey and intruders coming into their territory.

== Conservation ==
[[File:Hybrid_PNGT.png|alt=Introgressive phylogenetic clade|thumb|upright|A phylogenetic model of [[introgressive hybridization]], e.g. among ''A. carolinensis'' and ''[[Anolis porcatus|A. porcatus]]''. The hybrid zone of the two species' lineages is shown in blue, with each horizontal line representing an individual introgressive event.]]

Although not threatened as a species, Carolina anoles increasingly struggle with competition from introduced anole species, such as the [[brown anole]] (''Anolis sagrei''), also known as the Bahamian anole. This competition happened to be an interesting model for evolutionary studies, as it illustrates the process of adaptation. When ''A. sagrei'' first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s,<ref>{{Cite web |title=LEAPIN' LIZARDS |author1=Daniel F. Culbert |author2=County Extension Agent |url=http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News%20columns/Leapin'%20Lizards.htm |publisher=University of Florida IFAS extension |year=2002 |access-date=2014-05-09}}</ref> the Carolina anole mostly ceded ground-level territories and were relegated to a very different ecosystem high in the treetops.  On occasion, more aggressive Carolina anole individuals may still be seen closer to the ground. Currently, ''A. carolinensis'' is abundant in its area of distribution and is able to thrive in disturbed areas, so it is not considered threatened, but ''A. sagrei'' may represent a developing threat in some areas.<ref name=Jensen/>

== Relationships and hybridization ==
{{Location map|Florida
|float   = left
|width=200
|caption = Location of hybridization between ''A. carolinensis'' and ''A. porcatus''<ref name="DeVos" />
|lat_deg = 25.782721
|lon_deg = -80.140556
}}

''A. carolinensis'' has been found to regularly hybridize with a closely related species, ''Anolis porcatus'' (the [[Cuban green anole]]), in Southern Florida, where ''A. porcatus'' has been introduced.<ref name="DeVos">{{cite journal |last1=DeVos |first1=Tyler |last2=Bock |first2=Dan |last3=Kolbe |first3=Jason |title=Rapid introgression of invasive alleles following hybridization between a native Anolis lizard species and a cryptic invader across an urban landscape |journal=Authorea Preprints |date=March 8, 2022 |doi=10.22541/au.164719047.72946272/v1 |access-date=May 5, 2022 |url=https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.164719047.72946272}}</ref>  A 2022 study found there to be asymmetric [[introgression]] of certain ''A. porcatus'' [[alleles]] within the population of hybrid individuals, three of which were found to be significantly associated with environmental variables indicative of [[urbanization]].<ref name="DeVos" /> It remains uncertain as to how this [[Genetic admixture|admixture]] of invasive alleles to the Carolina anole will affect the conservation of the species going forward.<ref name="DeVos" /> Not all admixture from invasive populations should be viewed as a negative outcome, and adaptive introgression as a result of hybridization with an ecologically robust invasive population might facilitate the long-term survival of native populations otherwise unable to adapt to [[human impact on the environment]].<ref name="DeVos" />

==Behavior==
[[File:Carolina Anole in Territorial Fight (SE Texas)-July 26, 2013-1.jpg|thumb|Male Carolina anoles fighting, exhibiting pronounced dorsal ridge signaling aggression, and black postocular spots behind the eyes, indicating stress]]

Male anoles are strongly [[Territory (animal)|territorial]] creatures.  Some have even been witnessed fighting their own reflections in mirrored glass. The male will fight other males to defend his territory.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sezen |first=Uzay |title=Territorial aggression between two green anole males |url=http://www.vimeo.com/26310217 |access-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> On sighting another male, the anole will compress his body, extend the dewlap, inflate a dorsal ridge, bob his head and attempt to chase the rival away. If the rival male continues to approach, anoles will fight by biting and scratching each other. Studies have also shown that there is a positive correlation between bite-force and the size of the individual's dewlap.<ref name=H&B/>

[[File:Anolis carolinensis aggression.jpg|thumb|left|Anole displaying at its reflection]]
One study showed that heavyweights had 50% higher testosterone concentrations than lightweights during the breeding season. It seems that disproportionately larger heads and dewlaps may be correlated to higher bite forces of heavyweights.<ref name=H&B/> Those with darker colorations will choose lower perch sites compared to their lighter conspecifics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Alföldi |first1=Jessica |last2=Di Palma |first2=Federica |last3=Grabherr |first3=Manfred |last4=Williams |first4=Christina |last5=Kong |first5=Lesheng |last6=Mauceli |first6=Evan |last7=Russell |first7=Pamela |last8=Lowe |first8=Craig B. |last9=Glor |first9=Richard E. |last10=Jaffe |first10=Jacob D. |last11=Ray |first11=David A. |date=2011-08-31 |title=The genome of the green anole lizard and a comparative analysis with birds and mammals |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature10390 |journal=Nature |volume=477 |issue=7366 |pages=587–591 |doi=10.1038/nature10390 |pmid=21881562 |pmc=3184186 |bibcode=2011Natur.477..587A |issn=0028-0836}}</ref> For heavyweight males of the same size the one with the higher bite force wins disputes more frequently.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lailvaux |first1=Simon P. |last2=Herrel |first2=Anthony |last3=VanHooydonck |first3=Bieke |last4=Meyers |first4=Jay J. |last5=Irschick |first5=Duncan J. |date=2004-12-07 |title=Performance capacity, fighting tactics and the evolution of life–stage male morphs in the green anole lizard (''Anolis carolinensis'') |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences |language=en |volume=271 |issue=1556 |pages=2501–2508 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2004.2891 |issn=0962-8452 |pmc=1691885 |pmid=15590602}}</ref>

[[File:Anolelick.JPG|thumb|Carolina anole licking]]
Adult female anoles have much smaller dewlaps that they rarely use during encounters with other anoles and never use during courting.<ref name=H&B/> Serious injury is rare, but males often carry numerous scars on their heads and faces, especially during the mating season. Their territories, which are about {{convert|1|m3|abbr=on}}, usually include two to three females.<ref name=Jensen/><ref name=Martof/>

The Carolina anole is [[Diurnality|diurnal]] and active throughout the year, peaking in spring and fall. Winter activity is dependent on sun and temperature.<ref name=Jensen/>

==Diet==
[[File:Carolina Anole eating a dragonfly.jpg|thumb|upright|Male Carolina anole eating a dragonfly. Note the inflated dorsal ridge]]

An anole's diet consists primarily of small [[insect]]s such as [[Cricket (insect)|cricket]]s, [[grasshopper]]s, [[flies]], [[butterflies]], [[moths]], [[cockroach]]es, small [[beetle]]s, and other [[arthropods]], including [[spider]]s, as well as occasionally feeding on various [[mollusc]]s,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Anolis_carolinensis/ | title=''Anolis carolinensis'' (Green anole) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> [[grain]]s, and [[seed]]s.<ref name=Jensen/><ref name=Martof/> Although anoles have been observed preying upon smaller reptiles such as juvenile [[skink]]s, this is not thought to be typical behavior.<ref name=Jensen/> Many people who keep these lizards as pets feed them [[mealworm]]s, grubs, [[maggot]]s, and small crickets.

== Predators ==
Major predators include the [[broadhead skink]], snakes, birds, and in urban habitats, cats. Like many lizards, anoles display [[autotomy|autotomic]] tails, which wiggle when broken off. This distracts the predator and helps the anole to escape. A new tail then starts to develop.<ref name=Jensen/> The new tail, however, containing cartilage rather than bone, will typically not grow back to the same length as the first one, and may exhibit a marked difference in color and texture from the rest of the animal. Green anoles will also try to escape predators by climbing vertical walls, trees, fences, or any vertical surface they can find. This ability is possible due to their enlarged toe pads and great climbing ability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Intraspecific correlations among morphology, performance and habitat use within a green anole lizard (''Anolis carolinensis'') population |url=https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/85/2/211/2691533 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=academic.oup.com}}</ref>

Anoles are [[parasitized]] by some species of [[sarcophagid]] flies, including ''Lepidodexia blakeae''.<ref name="Irschick">{{Cite journal|last1=Irschick|first1=Duncan J.|last2=Gentry|first2=Grant|last3=Herrel|first3=Anthony|last4=Vanhooydonck|first4=Bieke|date=2006-03-01|title=Effects of Sarcophagid Fly Infestations on Green Anole Lizards (''Anolis carolinensis''): An Analysis across Seasons and Age/Sex Classes|journal=Journal of Herpetology|volume=40|issue=1|pages=107–112|doi=10.1670/132-05A.1|s2cid=52258994|issn=0022-1511}}</ref> Adult flies will deposit eggs on live anoles, and the fly larvae develop inside the lizard until they emerge from a wound and pupate into adult flies in sediment. Infection is often fatal, with mortality rates possibly as high as 90%.<ref name="Irschick" />

==Reproduction==
[[File:Green anoles mating.jpg|thumb|left|Carolina anoles mating]]
The typical breeding season for Carolina anoles starts as early as April and ends in late September, [[gonadal]] activity being largely regulated by [[photoperiod]], enlarging in spring as the weather warms up and days lengthen, and then regressing in late summer.<ref name=Jensen/><ref name=Martof/> At the beginning of the non-breeding season, green anoles experience a refractory season, which would occur from late fall until late winter/early spring.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tao |first1=Cai Y. |last2=Harley |first2=Jada Z. |last3=Spencer |first3=Savannah L. |last4=Cohen |first4=Rachel E. |date=2022 |title=Characterizing seasonal transitions: Breeding-like morphology and behavior during the late non-breeding season in green anole lizards |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105106 |journal=Hormones and Behavior |volume=139 |pages=105106 |doi=10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105106 |pmid=34995849 |issn=0018-506X}}</ref>

During this time, the males patrol their territory and the most brilliant displays of these creatures can be seen. Males defend their territory and females from rivals, while courting the females with elaborate displays of extending their brightly colored [[dewlap]]s while bobbing up and down, almost doing a dance.<ref>Greenberg, Bernard, and Gladwyn Kingsley Noble. "[http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/physzool.17.4.30151738 Social behavior of the American chameleon (''Anolis carolinensis'' Voigt)]." Physiological Zoology 17.4 (1944): 392-439.</ref> The dewlap is also used to ward off other males. The male courts and pursues a female until the two successfully mate. Usually, when the female is ready to mate, she may let the male catch her, at which point he will grasp her by biting a fold of her skin behind her neck. The male will then position his tail underneath the female's tail near her vent. Males have two sex organs, known as [[hemipenes]], which are normally kept within the body, but are everted from his vent for mating. Males seem to alternate between the left and right hemipenis on successive matings.<ref>Crews, David. "[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Crews/publication/6027379_Hemipenile_Preference_Stimulus_Control_of_Male_Mounting_Behavior_in_the_Lizard_Anolis_carolinensis/links/546a530a0cf2f5eb18077a8f/Hemipenile-Preference-Stimulus-Control-of-Male-Mounting-Behavior-in-the-Lizard-Anolis-carolinensis.pdf Hemipenile preference: stimulus control of male mounting behavior in the lizard ''Anolis carolinensis'']." Science 199.4325 (1978): 195-196.</ref>

The female matures one [[ovarian follicle]] at a time, the [[ovaries]] alternating in production. The sight of a courting male induces ovarian development, [[sexual receptiveness]] and then [[ovulation]]. About two to four weeks following mating, the female lays her first clutch of eggs, usually one or two in the first clutch. She can produce an egg every two weeks during the breeding season, until about 10 eggs have been produced. However, she can store sperm for up to eight months following mating. She then buries the soft-shelled eggs in a shallow depression in soft soil, [[leaf litter]], [[compost]], rotting wood, or even a hole in a nearby tree. Eggs average {{convert|12.5|mm|abbr=on}} by {{convert|9.3|mm|abbr=on}} in size.<ref name=Jensen/>

[[File:Louie-3MO.jpg|right|thumb|Juvenile male]]
The eggs are left to incubate by the heat of the sun, and if successful, will hatch in about five to seven weeks (30–45 days) from late May to early October. The incubation temperature has to be {{cvt|80|to|85|F}}. On hatching, the [[hatchlings]] are {{convert|52-67|mm|abbr=on}} in length.<ref name=Jensen/><ref name=Martof/>

The hatchlings must fend for themselves, as they are not cared for by either parent. The young hatchlings must be wary of other adult anoles in the area, as well as larger reptiles and mammals, which could eat them. Younger anoles differ from adults in having less obvious head ridges, a wider head and shorter tail. They mature in about eight months.<ref name=Jensen/>

==Captivity==
{{how-to section|date=June 2019}}

Carolina anoles' nervous natures makes it advisable not to attempt to handle them very often; despite this, Carolina anoles are popular pets. Individual animals may or may not adapt readily to cage life. Care must be taken to ensure the animals receive the support they need to adapt to captivity. An adequately sized enclosure, as well as the appropriate plants and substrate material, are beneficial to the health of captive Carolina anoles.

A green anole in captivity, if cared properly, can live up to 8 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burns |first=Brian |date=2023-09-22 |title=LifeSpan of an Anole Lizard and Anole Lifecycle - Anole Lizard Care |url=https://anolelizardcare.com/lifespan-of-an-anole-lizard-anole-life-cycle/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=Anole Lizard Care |language=en-US}}</ref> These lizards can be easily kept in a 10-[[gallon]] aquarium as they rarely grow more than 8 inches.

However, there should be one male green anole in a tank as they are territorial and may end up fighting for the [[territory]]. Keeping multiple female green anoles in a tank won't create any problem unless there isn't enough room for them.

Green anoles are considered to be a good pet for beginners as they are easy to care for. Their habitat should include the following:
* Humidity level should be kept at 60-70%.
* Day temperature should be maintained at {{cvt|77|-|86|F}}.
* Night temperature should be maintained at {{cvt|70|-|75|F}}.
* A basking light should be installed in the tank and a temperature of {{cvt|90|-|95|F}} must be maintained.
* Natural light is best for reptiles, but a [[UV-B lamps|UVB]] light can be installed in the terrarium. A 5.0 UVB light would be a good option.
* Green anoles are terrestrial lizards and spend most of their time on the ground or climbing plants. They do not dig or burrow. A substrate should not be harmful for their skin. Substrate can be made using coconut coir, moss, reptile soil, etc., which is natural and also helps maintain moisture and temperature.
* [[Hatchling]]s should be given 2-3 food items ([[insect]]s) once a day, whereas an adult should be fed 2-3 food insects every other day. [[Gut loading]] or dusting of insects can provide better nutrients to the lizards in captivity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anole Care |url=http://www.exoticpetvet.com/anole-care.html |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=CHICAGO EXOTICS ANIMAL HOSPITAL |language=en}}</ref>

==Genomics==
This species has been chosen as a [[Model organism|model]] reptile for [[genomics]] by the [[National Human Genome Research Institute]]  [[Full genome sequencing|genome sequencing]] program.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.genome.gov/17015353 |title=NHGRI's Large-Scale Sequencing Research Network Sets Its Sights on Disease Targets |publisher=NIH News |date=2005-10-17}}</ref> It was selected because of the ease and low cost of laboratory breeding and evolutionary value of the diversity of the genus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.genome.gov/Pages/Research/Sequencing/SeqProposals/GreenAnoleLizardAmericanAlligatorSeq.pdf |author=Ad hoc Reptilian Genomics Working Group |title=Proposal to Sequence the First Reptilian Genome: the Green Anole Lizard, ''Anolis carolinensis'' |publisher=National Human Genome Research Institute |date=2005-07-11 |access-date=2010-05-05}}</ref> In 2011, the complete genome of this lizard was sequenced and published in ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sezen |first=Uzay |title=Green anole changing color |url=http://naturedocumentaries.org/18/carolina-anole-lizard-changing-color/ |access-date=16 May 2011}}</ref> Before its genome was published, only mammals and three bird species had been sequenced among [[amniote]]s.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Lizard genome unveiled |journal=Nature |date=31 Aug 2011| doi=10.1038/news.2011.512 |author=Sweetlove L}}</ref> The draft genome sequence is 1.78 [[base pair#Length measurements|Gb]] (compared with 2.0–3.6 Gb mammalian and 0.9–1.3 Gb avian genome assemblies), of which 27% are [[Mobile genetic elements|mobile elements]] such as [[Long interspersed element|LINEs]].  A total of 17,472 protein-coding genes and 2,924 RNA genes were predicted from the ''A. carolinensis'' genome assembly.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The genome of the green anole lizard and a comparative analysis with birds and mammals |vauthors=Alföldi J, Di Palma F, Grabherr M, Williams C, Kong L |journal=Nature | pmid=21881562 |doi=10.1038/nature10390 |year=2011 |volume=477 |issue=7366 |pages=587–591 |pmc=3184186|bibcode=2011Natur.477..587A |display-authors=etal}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=160>
Anole on fence.jpg|Detail of head, green
AcarolbrI.JPG|Female (brown form)
AcarolbrIV.JPG|Detail of head, brown
Anolis carolinensis color change.png|Color change from green phase to brown phase
Green anole color morph stencil effect.jpg|When under a sharp shadow, the skin of the green anole may change color unevenly, temporarily leaving an imprint of the shadow
AcarolbrVII.JPG|Female (brown) displaying dewlap
Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) with red throat expanded.jpg|Male anole with extended dewlap
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
O'Bryant, E. L., & Wade, J. (2001). Development of a sexually dimorphic neuromuscular system involved in green anole courtship behavior. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 58(6), 362–369. https://doi.org/10.1159/000057577

== External links ==
{{Wikispecies|Anolis carolinensis}}
{{Commons|Anolis carolinensis}}
* [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=genomeprj&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Overview&list_uids=18887 Anole genome sequencing project at NCBI]
* {{EOL}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090405121616/http://users.volja.net/bamare/ "Breeding green anoles (''Anolis carolinensis'') in captivity"]
* [https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/green-anole-care-sheet/ Green anole care sheet]
* View the [http://www.ensembl.org/Anolis_carolinensis/Info/Index/ green anole genome] in [[Ensembl]].

{{Taxonbar|from=Q930252}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Green Anole}}
[[Category:Anoles]]
[[Category:Lizards of North America]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Southeastern United States|Anole, Carolina]]
[[Category:Reptiles of the United States|Anole, Green]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1832]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Friedrich Siegmund Voigt]]
[[Category:Reptiles as pets]]