Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Images of undisturbed subjects in their natural environment. All subject types.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

Marcepstein
Posts: 287
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:39 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Marcepstein »

Still going through some older image files… I took these images with the Canon 1DM1v and ef 100mm f2.8 macro lens. Very slowly, I kept inching (on the ground) a little closer with the macro lens and after many tries, got a few nice images of the scales and eye. They did tolerate me being so close so long as there was no sudden movement or noise.


Carolina anoles (Anolis carolinensis) are capable of changing color from several brown to green hues. They are common in coastal Carolina. Wikipedia states “abundant on the Atlantic Coastal Plains in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and on the Gulf Coast in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas; they have also been recorded in Tamaulipas, Mexico, but it is mostly likely an introduction”. Idigbio shows the extended range in the Caribbean and northern S. America. In Florida, the Carolina anole is being displaced by the brown anole (Anolis sagrei), an invasive introduced exotic. Thanks for looking.
Carolina-anole---3731.jpg
Carolina-anole---3751.jpg
Carolina-anole---3884.jpg
Carolina-anole---4538.jpg
Carolina-anole---4412.jpg

Scarodactyl
Posts: 1616
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:26 am

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Scarodactyl »

Very nice portraits! They are fun lizards, and this time of year you will sometomes see them turned dark brown or almost black and sunning themselves for maximum absorption. It's fun to get such a detailed look since in person they rarely let me get too close.

Marcepstein
Posts: 287
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:39 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Marcepstein »

Thanks for the comment. They are interesting little beast!

Ramos Kenneth D
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Ramos Kenneth D »

It is a shame but interesting to see how one species can become dominate over another similar one. I have bright green ones here around my home with a red dewlap, while others are golden brown with orange. Nice photographs! 8)

Marcepstein
Posts: 287
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:39 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Marcepstein »

Thanks for the comment. Exotic species create serious issues like the brown anole, pythons in the Everglades, iguanas, …. the list goes on. If interested, here are a couple of articles about the brown anole

https://www.anoleannals.org/2015/06/10/ ... xtinction/

And the Cuban frog which was displacing the native green tree frog and other species. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/uw259

Ramos Kenneth D
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Ramos Kenneth D »

Marcepstein wrote:
Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:24 am
Thanks for the comment. Exotic species create serious issues like the brown anole, pythons in the Everglades, iguanas, …. the list goes on. If interested, here are a couple of articles about the brown anole

https://www.anoleannals.org/2015/06/10/ ... xtinction/

And the Cuban frog which was displacing the native green tree frog and other species. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/uw259
People are protective of their immediate environment I suppose, to bad all that concern is not global as well. An interesting study and enjoyable read as to how the two species are getting along and it seems as though they are at least living somewhat in harmony with one another though divided as they are. I have both here as well but what really concerns me the most is that I haven't seen either in quite some while and that could be due to habitat destruction in that some years back there was a clear cut done in a portion of the woodland here around my home. Still, however, I can't seem to see how that would justify the lesser sightings that I have experienced, seeing as how it was not in the immediate vicinity, close or near, that of the lizards habitat. It is mostly in the dense honeysuckle that I spot them the most and the brown ones are usually down on the ground with the green ones higher up also, just as in the article. I haven't gotten to the frogs as yet, though I recall seeing something about that situation in a documentary of sorts.

Marcepstein
Posts: 287
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:39 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Marcepstein »

I think the issue about introduced exotic species is the impact they have to native species. I didn’t realize that these 2 species have made it so far north. I recently noticed Mediterranean geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) in our area just in the past few years.

Ramos Kenneth D
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Post by Ramos Kenneth D »

Marcepstein wrote:
Thu Jan 19, 2023 1:45 pm
I think the issue about introduced exotic species is the impact they have to native species. I didn’t realize that these 2 species have made it so far north. I recently noticed Mediterranean geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) in our area just in the past few years.
Things moving north is not to uncommon these days with the climate situation. A number of insects that were once only observed in the southern most portions of the country are now being seen as far north as Canada in some instances. Though I have not read of any recently, I suspect that there are or would be some conflicts between them and long established species, as well as conflicts arising from those introduced from abroad by various means. Speaking of geckos, those take me back to my days when I lived in the Philippine Islands. It seems the value of your home was estimated by the number of geckos you had sharing it with you. Seems logical I suppose. The more geckos that one would have would lessen the number of annoying insects that often invaded ones home making it much more comfortable and conducive to human habitation. :lol: As an example of sorts, I was bitten by a large banana spider while asleep in my bed one night, or so that was the Flight Surgeons diagnosis upon inspecting the wound. Maybe had I more gecko's that painful encounter may not have happened. I still bare the scar of that encounter today.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic