Doesn’t get much more festive than this guy!
I’m currently preparing a grant proposal featuring Anolis sagrei for a philanthropic foundation with broad goals that extend well beyond biology. The people reading this proposal will thus have diverse backgrounds, probably mostly non-biological and certainly non-herpetological. In reading a draft of the proposal, a friend remarked “This lizard needs a new name for this grant!” And, indeed, on reflection perhaps “brown anole” is not the most exciting name for the general public.
So, who wants to help re-brand A. sagrei? Of course, an obvious possibility is Sagra’s Anole, since the species was, after all, named after Mssr. Ramon de la Sagra*. But…that’s not really that exciting either. My friend (a biologist) suggested “the tramp anole,” using “tramp” in the ecological sense of a weedy species that is able to colonize and establish in a wide variety of habitats. A possibility, for sure, but maybe some of the other connotations aren’t so good. His second suggestion, though, merit’s consideration. Turns out that “sagre” in Italian means “a festival.” And what lizard could be more of a partier than the ever-flashing, always rollicking, A. sagrei? So, I put it to you, anole world, what if we start referring to this species as “the festive anole”?
*It’s an interesting story how the species ended up A. sagrei, and not A. sagrai, but that’s a tale for another time.
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Gerrut Norval
I like it!
Robert Powell
I like the name and appreciate the reasons why a more exciting name would be useful. However, herpetologists have had a very hard time trying to standardize common names in any language, especially English. We’ve had competing lists and various versions over the years (even now). So, because “Brown Anole” (or maybe even “Cuban Brown Anole” to distinguish it from other brown anoles) has become pretty standard, I’d hate to see that lost in an effort to coin a sexier name.
Tony Gamble
PetSmart calls A. sagrei the Bahaman Anole. This might remind reviewers of a luxurious beach resort flanked by palm trees gently swaying in the breeze. Who wouldn’t give money to that?
Vica G.P.
That’s right, in German it’s called the Bahamaanolis 😀
Adam Algar
“And what lizard could be more of a partier than the ever-flashing, always rollicking, A. sagrei?”
There you have it! Even better than Festival it’s Flash Anole. Not ‘the Flash Anole’ but Flash Anole. Like Flash Gordon.
Vica G.P.
In an attempt to explain a relative what I am working with, I showed him a video of a sagrei showing off his sexy deep red dewlap. He chuckled and remarked that it looked like a “reptilian bullfighter”.
So… the Bullfighter Anole.
Or even better, the Tramp Bullfighter Festival Anole!!
Uwe Bartelt
Hi Vica,
clear, its a brown Anole. But in Germany all brown things not ready. So the mad people here called it Bahama Anolis……
I like the name brown anole and his name Anolis sagrei.
Armando Pou
At this point we should call it the Florida Anole!
Maybe a sexier synonym for brown: auburn anolis, tawny anolis, cocoa anolis, mahogany anolis, bronze anolis, bay anolis….. or what about cut-throat anolis? like the trout – but with a double meaning. 🙂
Tess
I very much like the proposed ‘festive anole’! From my opinion, an innovative and clear name appropriate for the sagrei.
Rich Glor
I agree with Bob, I think “Cuban Brown Anole” is the most reasonable option. You could always make up a new name for a proposal, but I think this name is well-enough established that it would only cause confusion to try and change it more broadly.
Bill Bateman
Sagra started a journal of Anarchism – how about the Anarchist, or Anarchic Anole?
Frank W. Schena
I think it should be called the “Ground Anole”, since that is where I see it most.