Grass Anole

About the Grass Anole

Anolis auratus, the grass anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is found in Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, and Brazil. Though A. auratus presents a variety of physical characteristics based on geographic location, maturity, and sex, a common feature is a tan-coloured back with cream or dark brown to black lateral stripes, copper orange spots on the posterior thigh, a bright orange tongue, as well as an overall tan tail with light gray or black streaks, blotches, or stripes on the dorsal surface but orange coloration underneath. The female has a smaller dewlap with gray to blue skin in between cream scales, while the male possesses a larger dewlap, similar in skin color to that of the female but with yellow scales at the center and base of the structure.

In general, male and female A. auratus exhibit differences in pelvis width, trunk length, and head size, and thus, are sexually dimorphic with females possessing bigger pelvises and trunks and males having larger heads. As females play a more important role in reproduction, their larger trunks and wider pelvises allow them to carry more eggs as well as... Wikipedia →