Anolis planiceps from Trinidad. Image from The Herpetology of Trinidad & Tobago.
I am a West Indian amateur herpetologist and member of the AA family for the past 5-6 years.
I have travelled and photo-documented anole species along the Eastern Caribbean archipelago from Curaçao in the south to Anguilla in the north. In so doing, the colour patterns of each endemic species have instilled a special thrill to my senses.
Anolis aeneus in Trinidad. Photo from The Herpetology of Trinidad & Tobago
However, it is in my home island of Trinidad where a unique spectacle lays in wait of thoughtful analysis. In the urban areas of Port-of-Spain (especially in the suburb of Woodbrook), Anolis aeneus is common on fruit trees, running along house walls and even venturing through windows into home interiors, displaying their speckled glory.
Yet a mere 60 miles to the northeast in the rural village of Fishing Pond (my home village), the anole species A. planiceps rules unchallenged, without the presence of A. aeneus. However, the sighting of A. planiceps is as rare as hen’s teeth (to use a local saying), running along the ground to mount the nearest tree trunk when seen occasionally.
Instead, along my house walls (in that rural area), three lizard species predominate: Ameiva atrigularis and Cnemidophorus lemniscatus, both teiid ground dwellers, as well as Gonatodes vittatus, a gekkonid tree/wall climber. Occasionally, three other species can be seen: Polychrus marmoratus and Tropidurus plica, in the same family as anoles, as well as Mabuya bistrata, a skink in the Scincidae family. The last three are known to be tree/wall climbers. None of these six species are likely to be seen in the urban areas previously mentioned, where household cats and early morning birds seem not to deter the presence of A. aeneus.
My question, therefore: does interspecific competition for food and habitat (and maybe predation) from the other six rural lizard species keep A. planiceps from having larger populations? No other Eastern Caribbean island seems to harbour such an anomaly, except maybe St.Vincent with its elusive A. griseus which is in an environment with few other lizard species.
I await the views of the more learned and experienced members of the AA family.
In closing I’m aware that A. aeneus‘ home base extends to Grenada and the Grenadine Islands, while A. planiceps‘ base extends to Venezuela and Guyana.
See the volume: “A Field Guide to the Amphibian & Reptiles of Trinidad & Tobago” by John Murphy et al.
Cheers,
Reynold C. Boyce