Anolis porcatus (left) found at a plant nursery in Aruba (right).

It was late December 2018. My partner in work and life, Matt, and I were headed back to Curaçao to conduct some follow-up sampling. We had recently completed a field season in Curaçao where we had discovered three newly introduced gecko species (Behm et al. 2019).  Since we had to fly through Aruba to get to Curaçao, we decided when booking our trip to spend some time in Aruba, too, to look around for introduced herps, since that’s one of our favorite ways to spend our time when traveling (we’ve even been known to trick family members into searching for introduced herps while on vacation – e.g., Behm et al. 2018). Aruba and Curaçao are neighbors and since Aruba is even more economically connected than Curaçao, we suspected there may have been undiscovered non-native herps there.

What we did not expect was that in less than 3 days on Aruba, we would find three new non-native species (Anolis gingivinus, A. cristatellus and Hemidactylus frenatus) and document a range expansion for a 4^th non-native anole (A. porcatus) already known to be on Aruba (Behm et al. 2022). Even though we focused our surveys on properties like plant nurseries and resorts that had a strong likelihood of harboring introduced species due to their influx of ornamental plant shipments, this was still a very high number of species in a short amount of time.

I wanted to understand how these newly documented species fit within the context of the other non-native herps on Aruba. Specifically, I wanted to understand the circumstances surrounding the initial introductions and the current habitat use of the species on Aruba to assess whether any emergent patterns could be gleaned for Aruba. If so, these patterns may lend further insight into how and why the Caribbean has emerged as a hotspot for species invasions (e.g., Helmus et al. 2014, Perella and Behm 2020, Gleditsch et al. 2023).

What seemed like a simple task ended up being more challenging than expected due to the scant and sometimes contradictory information in the literature surrounding the species introductions. To make sense of it all, I enlisted the help of a brilliant undergraduate in my lab, Gianna Busala, whose tenacity and attention-to-detail made it possible to reconstruct some of the invasion history on Aruba.  Our recent publication (Busala et al. 2024) compiles all of what we found about the introduced herps on Aruba.

In conducting our research, there were several issues we encountered.

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Photo by Christa Denning (aka, @DenningDesign)

From Twitter

Read all about it in Herpetology Notes.

Water anole from the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica (Photo by Lindsey Swierk)

Rojo A, & L Swierk. 2024. How does rapid body color change affect the conspicuity of lizards to their predators and conspecifics? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 78: 78.

Written by Andrés Rojo:

The water anole (Anolis aquaticus) is a Costa Rican anole that changes color and pattern in different microhabitats as a form of camouflage to avoid detection by their predators, which include birds like motmots and kingfishers. Because of its body color complexity and rapid color changes, water anoles are great study organisms to use when examining how animal camouflage, social signaling, and visual perception interact.

My research project was inspired by Dr. Lindsey Swierk and her lab’s work on water anole color change and camouflage. I joined the Swierk lab as an undergraduate in February of 2021, as I was interested in tropical ecology and animal behavior. I am also a photo hobbyist and experiment with color and full spectrum photography. Dr. Swierk thought that I would be a good fit with the research team studying water anole colors and patterns. When she told me about it, I was motivated by my enthusiasm for photography and wildlife research to take on the project, especially the idea that I could modify research-grade photos to model how animals see one another.

An example color cloud map showing the colors of a water anole (gray) and its substrate (red) as seen through an avian visual system. The X axis represents a green-to-red progression of colors, and the Y axis represents yellow-to-blue colors. Water anoles do not have UV body colors in the regions measured (dorsal and lateral surfaces). Darker tones indicate more pixels of colors at that location within chromaticity space.

Dr. Swierk and I decided to test whether the body coloration of A. aquaticus would be perceived differently by the visual systems of water anoles’ predators and their conspecifics. We used ImageJ and the micaToolbox (QCPA) to model the two visual systems and apply them to each photo taken in the field. The anole and substrate photos were converted into color maps, which could be compared to determine how much the color of the anole overlapped with the color of the substrate in the visual systems of predators and conspecifics – a measure of conspicuousness of anoles according to both visual systems.

A comparison of body color – background color overlap of water anoles as seen through bird and anole visual models, including males (blue) and females (gold).

Although we found no significant difference in how camouflaged A. aquaticus were perceived by the visual systems of predators and conspecifics, our results suggested that males more consistently color matched their microhabitats compared to females and that females were less likely to color match their backgrounds in their lighter phase, suggesting a sex difference in preferred conspicuity in more exposed habitats. These could present topics for future research into how anoles use color camouflage to avoid being detected by predators.

Researchers have thought of putting anoles in experimental wind tunnels. Perhaps this is the next best evidence? Or maybe this was a setup? Either way, we can see the classic anole response to falling.

h/t Mike Whitlock

Hear about what’s need here.

And here’s the story behind the book.

While reading reports on the colonization events of the brown anole and its impacts on local fauna, I never thought I would have the chance to see this lizard, so interesting from an ecological point of view, in the wild. However, years ago, thanks to an invitation from a colleague in Guayaquil, I participated in the first report of the occurrence of Anolis sagrei in Ecuador. At that time, only a few individuals were seen, and encounters were casual in two specific locations. However, since 2018, I have had the opportunity to start monitoring the brown anole in Guayaquil, Guayas province.

In past experiences searching for native anoles over five years in forests and other vegetation formations in Ecuador, I knew the local anoles are animals that hide a lot and are not seen frequently. I was used to recording few encounters over long distances (finding five or at best 10 individuals after several days and nights of searching). To my surprise, the scenario changed in Guayas. During our first excursion, we found more than ten individuals in five minutes within an area of five square meters in the middle of the city. These animals did not hide or try to escape; instead, they initiated displays.

This marked the beginning of our efforts to search for them not only in the areas reported by Amador et al. (2017) but also in various places throughout the city. This included garden areas and urban parks, as well as remnants of forest found in the city’s outskirts. Thanks to these observations, we gathered information on their diet, behavioral activity, and ecology, which will surely help us understand why they are so successful in these environments.

In this study, we managed to report not only the sites where we personally searched but also incorporated casual observations from citizens using citizen science tools like iNaturalist. Thanks to this, we now know that the species has spread to different provinces in the country (Esmeraldas and Manabí provinces), including one in the Amazon region (Orellana province). It’s interesting that thanks to this tool, we included points where we would not have thought to look for them. Additionally, the brown anole is very charismatic, and many people have felt an affinity and attraction to the little creatures that move their dewlaps, hence fortunately, the records provided by citizens were of good quality, allowing us to corroborate identification and data accuracy.

The adaptability of this lizard is evident in its ability to occupy different spaces, including urban areas such as parks, gardens, and natural areas along riverbanks. Consequently, new questions arise: where did these animals come from? How long ago did they arrive? Does their current distribution result from one or multiple introduction events? What impact will this lizard have on local species in terms of displacement or competition? We know it is a dominant species, but we still lack indications of its effect, particularly in Isla Santay reserve, where two other native species are found in sympatry (Cruz-García et al. 2023). Since we registered that several families of insects that are considered agricultural pests are part of their diet, may they have a positive or negative impact on humans? (Narvaez et al. 2020)

We feel obligated to review how the dispersal processes of this lizard can be controlled. However, more information on the species’ actions is needed to start recommending control measures or other actions at the local level. These lizards have been found in nurseries around the city, which are also used to support reforestation efforts in areas of native vegetation, facilitating the dispersal processes and the possible ecological consequences associated with their spread.

In sum, we have a love-hate relationship with the brown anole. As behavioral ecologists, we recognize that Anolis sagrei represents an excellent model for studying the biological invasion process, and we hope to share more about our findings from the past seven years soon. However, we are also concerned about how to manage this species. Probably, containment or eradication measures may need to be established to prevent problems experienced in other regions from occurring with Ecuadorian anoles.

We want to share our experience with other enthusiasts of this fascinating invader and our efforts to understand its dispersal mechanisms, ecological and behavioral adaptations, and the strategies suggested for its management. By doing so, we hope to collaborate and contribute to a broader understanding and effective management of the brown anole.

You can read the full article here.

I would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Fernando Ayala-Varela to this blog.

REFERENCES

Amador, L., Ayala-Varela, F., Nárvaez, A. E., Cruz, K., & Torres-Carvajal, O. (2017). First record of the invasive brown anole, Anolis sagrei Duméril & Bibron, 1837 (squamata: iguanidae: dactyloinae), in South America. Check List, 13(2), 2083-2083.

Cruz-García, K., Barreno, M., Cuadrado, S., Moretta-Urdiales, M. D. M., Molina-Moreira, N., Salas, J. A., … & Narváez, A. E. (2023). Amphibians and reptiles of Isla Santay (Durán, Ecuador). Check List, 19(3), 347-369.

Narváez, A. E., Ghia, T., Moretta-Urdiales, M. M., & Moreira, N. M. (2020). Feeding habits of Anolis sagrei, an introduced species, in urban ecosystems of Guayas Province. Urban Ecosystems, 23(6), 1371-1376.

Narváez, A. E., Ayala-Varela, F., Cuadrado, S., Cruz-García, K., Yánez-Muñoz, M. H., & Amador, L. (2024). Updated distribution of the brown anole in continental Ecuador: a case of urban spaces favoring the establishment of an opportunistic exotic species. BioInvasions Records, 13(2), 373-384.

Hey fellow Anole lovers!

We are a group of passionate Colombians who are absolutely fascinated by Anolis lizards. You know, those charming little reptiles with their vibrant dewlaps and incredible diversity. And let’s be honest, who needs geckos when you’ve got Anoles? (Just kidding, gecko fans – we love them too, but anoles have a special place in our hearts!)

The Birth of a Dream

Our journey began with a simple idea: to create a comprehensive, visually stunning field guide that captures the beauty and diversity of Anolis lizards in Colombia. With over 80 species in our biodiverse country, we knew this would be no small feat, but we were up for the challenge!

Imagine flipping through pages filled with beautiful illustrations, detailed maps showing where each species can be found, and handy tips on how to tell them apart from their look-alikes. That’s exactly what we’re creating – a guide that’s not only informative but also a joy to use.

The Magic of Illustrations

One of the coolest aspects of our field guide is the artwork. Each species will have detailed illustrations of adult males and females, all in their characteristic poses. Our talented illustrator is working hard to bring these lizards to life on the page. Here’s a sneak peek at how the book will look:

Why It Matters

Colombia is bursting with all kinds of amazing wildlife, and Anolis lizards are a big part of what makes our nature so special. This guide isn’t just a book; it’s a tool for education, conservation, and accurate taxonomy. By highlighting these incredible lizards, we hope to foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of our natural heritage and make identifying these species easier and more precise for everyone.

How You Can Get Involved

We have an exciting way for you to support our project – Adopt a Species! Here’s how it works:

• Pick Your Favorite Anole: For a $50 donation, you can sponsor a species of your choice.
• Get Your Name in the Book: Your name will appear on the species page as its sponsor.
• Receive Exclusive Perks: You’ll get a certificate and a digital illustration of the species you adopt.

Your contribution will help us bring this guide to life and support the conservation and study of these wonderful creatures. And for research labs, institutions, and universities that want to donate larger amounts, we’d love to include your logos backing the book. It’s a great way to show your support for biodiversity and conservation.

Join us on This Journey

We’re calling on all anole fans, researchers, and conservationists to join us. Whether you’re a university, research lab, or just someone who loves these lizards as much as we do, your support means the world to us. Want to get involved or learn more? Reach out to us!

Thank you for being a part of this exciting journey. Let’s celebrate the amazing diversity of Anolis lizards in Colombia together!

Happy herping!

You can contact us at:

fundacioninterandinos@gmail.com

camiloestupinan12@gmail.com

Camilo A. Estupiñan

Fundación Interandinos
Universidad Icesi