Barnacle Historic State Park in Coconut Grove, Florida, where crested anoles have replaced brown anoles over the past 15 years.
Not long ago, I posted results from a return visit to a beloved South Miami site, the Doc Thomas House, that experienced a change in the dominant anole species following a change in canopy development. Another fine place that shares a then-and-now story is the Barnacle Historic State Park in Coconut Grove, also in south Florida. The first visit to the Barnacle was in 2005 when we conducted a herp bioblitz at this wonderful coastal park.
On 6 July 2007, anoles were counted and their perch heights recorded at the Barnacle. Anolis cristatellus was there and in the surrounding, area but it was greatly outnumbered by long-time resident, A. sagrei, at the park. In 2007, A. cristatellus occupied higher perch sites than A. sagrei. Alas, time was not kind to A. sagrei. A return visit to the site on 14 February 2020 revealed a very different arrangement of things. Anolis cristatellus was now everywhere and much more numerous than A. sagrei had been in 2007. Only one A. sagrei, and a possible hybrid, was seen in 2020, and the perch heights of A. cristatellus shifted in the opposite direction. The habitat historically had been open and so favorable to A. sagrei. Between 2005 and 2020, the hammock had remained well-canopied, and the side walls were well-shaded, to the liking of A. cristatellus. Thus, unlike at the Doc Thomas House, where canopy development facilitated colonization by A. cristatellus from surrounding area, the Barnacle habitat was predisposed to its colonization.
- A Walk Down Another Memory Lane Brings Another Species Turnover - October 7, 2020
- A Return to the Doc Thomas House and Anoline Turnover as Habitat Changes - September 26, 2020
James T. Stroud
Walt, this echoes my experience at Barnacle too! No sagrei anywhere, and the cristatellus are now perching much lower in their absence compared to sites where they co-occur. Thanks for the posts, I have enjoyed reading them, James
Rick+Wallach
We’re in Kendall, not too far from The Falls. In the most canopied part of our property, surrounding an artificial pond we dug many years ago to house our little turtles who had become big turtles, cristatellus is relatively common, though seems to have no problems co-existing with sagrei in the lower foliage and along the tie walls protecting the pond. Both often filter across the rock gardens separating the pond from our gazebo to play out their splendid territorial delusions along the wooden rails of the gazebo. Hybrids? We got ’em.
Carolinensis keep to the higher branches and the upper walls of the house (risking our resident Tokays, who spend the daytime under the eves of the roof). Out front we backed our big green Miami-Dade garbage bins into the masses of wild coffee when not out front for disposal, and carolinensis often come out and perch on the bins.
PS – there’s been a sharp dropoff in both the rainbow agama and green amieva population hereabouts. Can’t account for it off the top of my head, unless the neighborhood cats have been doing an exceptional job. But it’s not just around the house. I used to see plenty of the agamas in the CVS parking lot across from the Falls shopping center. Haven’t seen one in yonks. The amievas still seem plentiful around the local Bank United on South Dixie Highway, though.