The Hispaniolan Northern Green Anole (Anolis cholorocyanus) is a widespread species in the trunk-crown ecomorph. Its known distribution is almost entirely restricted, as the name indicates, to the north paleo-island of Hispaniola, but also includes Gonave, Tortue and Saona islands, and some portions of local “mesic” (oases) forests and hills south of Valle de Neiba, in the northern slopes of Sierra de Baoruco.
A. chlorocyanus, photographed at Jaragua National Park station in Laguna de Oviedo, Pedernales province.
The individual pictured to the left was photographed the 12th of March 2013 in a far south locality for the species, in the facilities of the Jaragua National Park, NE of Oviedo. Consulting Schwartz & Henderson 1991, and Henderson & Powell 2009, it is mentioned that its occurrence may extend into the Barahona city, which is 53 kms from the recently reported locality (Google Earth, measured as airline distance). Caribherp.com does not display it for that area in the species’ range map. Anolis chlorocyanus is a mesophilic anole as well as a human commensal, so there is the possibility that the species arrived at this disjunct locality by the transportation of construction material used to build the park’s station (several years ago), or arrived on flotsam that often washes ashore in this area of the Barahona peninsula coast (sea currents bring debris and garbage from far east). Since A. chlorocyanus‘s south island counterpart, A. coelestinus, has a restricted range through the Domincan Republic, I haven’t seen any interaction between the two, despite the fact that the latter is also a human commensal (in Pedernales and along the Barahona coast). A similar scenario could be displayed when comparing distributions of other two ecologically (tough xeric) equivalent north and south island species: A. whitemani and A. longitibialis; the former shares a similar distribution with A. chlorocyanus along the Baorucos, and seems to be limited by topographic/climate features or direct competition by its southern counterpart, A. longitibialis. I have observed both species of trunk-ground anoles independently using the same saxicolous-based subtrate in this mountain range, one in the southern (but primarily in the Barahona peninsula’s lowlands), the other in its northern slopes.
Adding some more ecological notes, A. chlorocyanus can often be observed using royal palm trees (Roystonea), usually high near the base of flower/fruit fronds, which when in blossom attract many bees and other insects. 
A. chlorocyanus as typically seen in Los Haitises, in a royal palm (Roystonea). Photo taken near Caño Hondo.
Sixto J. Inchaustegui
Construction materials for Grupo Jaragua facilities in Oviedo has come from several dominican localities. Most of it from Barahona, but also from Enriquillo and from Santo Domingo. Some garden plants, mostly hibiscus, had also come from Santo Domingo. I would think that the arrival from the transportation of construction materials might be most probable that arriving at the beaches of Jaragua and expanding through mostly very xeric land into Oviedo.
Regards
Anthony Geneva
Nice post, Miguel. It’s interesting to hear about a chloro that far South. Do you think there is a population there, or just a single animal? Ben Desch, an undergrad in the Glor lab, has been working on the phylogeography and population structure of the chlorocyanus clade. It’s too early to say anything about his results, but one thing he will test is for evidence of gene flow among the lineages. If this was in a natural dispersal event, it would suggest that at least the possibility exists for hybridization events between chlorocyanus and coelestinus.
Miguel Landestoy
Hola amigos,
The only reason why I considered the flotsam arrival was because there is a strip of “semi-mesic” palm grove (Thrinax and Sabal, not Roystonea though) between the coast and the Oviedo lagoon, and when considering other species’ odd distribution patterns, like those on Isla Beata and Alto Velo, and some on the peninsula itself whose relatives are more diverse or originary from the north island, it seems a reliable way to get around. Sixto, thanks for commenting, I actually thought on calling you earlier about this but have been in the field with little reception. I will call tomorrow. Anthony, that’s the next step to take, trying to find out if there is a well stablished population there or around. I’ll try to post a follow up.