Carolina Anole

Description:

5 - 8 in (12 - 20 cm). May be either green or brown depending on environmental conditions. When brown, may have faint markings on the back. Males have a pinkish throat fan that is displayed in territorial rivalries or when approaching a potential mate.

Habitat:

Wildlife habitat yard on Belton Lake.

Notes:

Sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its color-changing abilities; however, many lizards are capable of this, and anoles are not true chameleons but are more closely related to Iguanas than chameleons. The typical coloration for a green anole ranges from the richest and brightest of greens to the darkest of browns, with little variation in between. The colour spectrum is a resultant of three layers of pigment cells or chromatophores: the xanthophores, responsible for the yellow pigmentation; cyanophores, responsible for the blue pigmentation, and melanophores, responsible for the brown and black pigmentation when the anole is cold or stressed.