The backyard dating game of the green anole
I was getting very close to getting that “perfect photo.” The male green anole (Anolis carolinensis) was in his fiercest green coloration, pumping his head and displaying his pink, under-chin dewlap. This brightly colored fold of skin is a flag of sorts, used to communicate both territorial protection and mating interest.
At precisely the moment I was going to snap my photo, another male anole, which I hadn’t yet noticed, charged my subject and either forced him to jump from or threw him off of our backyard fence. So much for that photo.
And to add more drama, the now-victorious (originally unseen) anole looked up to find that he was now being challenged by an even larger greener, and meaner newcomer.
The green anole is a wide-ranging, frequently encountered lizard in the Southeast, and while it is naturally arboreal, or tree-dwelling, it is plenty comfortable hanging out on wooden porch rails or backyard fences.
They primarily feed on insects but will also eat seeds, grains, worms, and young skinks, when necessary. Primary anole predators are snakes, birds, adult skinks and, where present, domestic or feral cats. While it is easy to take these common creatures for granted, they have some really unusual and fascinating characteristics.
Green anoles periodically shed their skin as they grow and frequently eat it to retain the nutrients. Coloration ranges from dull brown to brilliant greens and is more closely related to activity than to their surroundings. When attacked by a predator, anoles possess “autotomic” tails. These break off easily and wiggle for a time on their own, hopefully for long enough to distract the predator while the anole escapes. The tails grow back quickly.
Mating behavior is also unique and runs from early spring through early fall in the Lowcountry. Female anoles will typically produce about 10 eggs per season, at a rate of roughly one every two weeks. These may be fertilized by the same or different males or by sperm, which can be stored by the females for up to seven months!
When courting, male anoles will fiercely defend their territories. They can be found on tree limbs, fence rails, or in other open areas, pumping their heads up and down and daring competitors to trespass. The victor will then breed with females in the area, in what can best be described as a full-body hug. Once fertilized, the eggs are deposited in wet soil, compost, rotting wood, or other moist environments. The young anoles will be born independently and will immediately be on their own.
Green anoles can live up to eight years in the wild or in captivity. While they are sometimes kept as pets, they must be purchased through a licensed dealer. It is illegal, per the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website, to capture or “re-home” any native reptile or amphibian. And besides being illegal, this act is unnecessary. All one needs to do to see all of the behaviors described in this article is to walk outside and take a look around.