Albino A. capito from http://www.wildherps.com/images/herps/standard/10081124PD.jpg
A very rare picture of an albino anole. I searched on a lot of websites, but found no information. I suppose that albinos are quickly eaten. Unlike nocturnal reptiles for which light color is not an important problem, for anoles that are heliophilic, the light color must be a problem.
In general, albino specimens have a relatively short life expectancy (the photo shows a just hatched individual)–either they are eaten because they are too much visible by the predators, or they couldn’t eat because they are too visible by the prey. The percentage of albinos relative to normal specimens is one case per 100,000, although this probably varies by species.
Back to anoles, unlike nocturnal reptiles for which light color is not an important problem, for our anoles which use a lot the light (for thermoregulation, to show off their bright colors, so that their dominance displays can be seen), being albino may be a huge problem.
One option might be to copy what is done when keeping albino alligators in zoos. Some of these zoos keep these crocodilians in total darkness! But anoles can’t see very well in the dark. The keeping of albino anoles does not really seem possible.
If anybody has an article, I’m interested.
Keep/kept : Anolis carolinensis, Anolis coelestinus, Anolis cooki, Anolis porcatus, Anolis oculatus winstoni, Anolis sagrei, Anolis valencienni, Anolis vermiculatus.
- Anolis sagrei Plays Dead - December 15, 2016
- The classification is here! - December 26, 2012
- Albino Anole - December 15, 2012
Yoel Stuart
I know that Neil Losin, whose science and photography is featured occasionally here on Anole Annals, took a picture of a pigment-less Anolis cristatellus sometime last year.
James Miller
Took this today in Oakland Park, FL
James T. Stroud
Hi James, nice spot! That’s a house gecko (Hemidactylus sp.) and not an anole – still a great lizard though
Susan
I saw one today in Oakland Park, Florida.
Susan
I see one now if anyone wants it as a pet.
Susan
I still see one now if anyone wants it as a pet.
Nicholas ferguson
I’ve found a family of albino anoles. I’m catching them one by one and starting a farm. They only come out at night. They see very well in dim light
Jonathan Losos
Nicholas, can you send a photo? Are you sure these aren’t geckos?
Ralph
I just seen wat I thought was an anole green lizard but when I got closer to see it was white. It was pretty dim an it wasn’t dark but it wasn’t bright out I have never seen one like this before and it was about an inch and a half long and had little black dots only on its tail I tried to catch it but it run away and disappeared