The nursery trade is a known vector for many invasive species including anoles. Anoles have quite the affinity for laying eggs in the moist soil of potted plants, which may then be transported to various locations. Indeed, the nursery trade is the suspected vector for introductions to Hawaii and California of A. carolinensis and A. sagrei and likely accelerated their spread within those states. In fact, citizen scientists on iNaturalist document a reasonable number of brown anoles well outside their normal range. These observations have a distribution that suspiciously coincides with locations of Home Depots and Lowes. However, while the nursery trade is a suspected vector for other species of anoles, verified instances of long-distance transport via the trade are fewer and farther between.
An (as yet) unidentified anole hatchling transported from Puerto Rico to Virginia. From user kimjy3 on iNaturalist.org
One recent observation on iNaturalist documented a hatchling anole that popped out of a potted plant shipped from Puerto Rico as the user unwrapped it…in Alexandria, Virginia. Can anyone on Anole Annals having experience with Puerto Rican anoles and their hatchlings help ID this little one? The user reports that the anole does not have blue eyes; instead they are brown or black.
Feel free to add IDs/comments on the iNaturalist observation as well!
Kristin Winchell
Looks like Anolis cristatellus to me.
Esteban Gross Calderón
maybe Anolis laeviventris