Dactyloidae
44 species
Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfamily, Dactyloidae, of the family Iguanidae. In the past they were included in the family Polychrotidae together with Polychrus (bush anoles), but the latter genus is not closely related to the true anoles.
Anoles are small to fairly large lizards, typically green or brownish, but their color varies depending on species and many can also change it. In most species at least the male has a dewlap, an often brightly colored flap of skin that extends from the throat/neck and is used in displays. Anoles share several characteristics with geckos, including details of the foot structure (for climbing) and the ability to voluntarily break off the tail (to escape predators), but they are only very distantly related, anoles being part of Iguania.
Anoles are active during the day and feed mostly on small animals such as insects, but some will also take fruits, flowers, and nectar. They are fiercely territorial. After mating, the female lays an egg (occasionally two); in many species she may do so every few days or weeks. The egg is typically placed on the ground, but in some species it is placed at higher levels.
Anoles are widely studied in fields such as ecology, behavior, and evolution, and some species are commonly kept in captivity as pets. Anoles can function as a biological pest control by eating insects that may harm humans or plants, but represent a serious risk to small native animals and ecosystems if introduced to regions outside their home range.
Anoles are a very diverse and plentiful group of lizards. They are native to tropical and subtropical South America, Central America, Mexico, the offshore East Pacific Cocos, Gorgona and Malpelo Islands, the West Indies and southeastern United States.
A particularly high species richness exists in Cuba (more than 60 species), Hispaniola (more than 55), Mexico (more than 50), Central America, Colombia (more than 75), and Ecuador (at least 40). Fewer live in eastern and central South America (for example, less than 20 species are known from huge Brazil), Contiguous United States (1 native species), and the Lesser Antilles (about 25 species in total, with 1–2 species on each island). However, the Lesser Antilles are relatively rich compared to their very small land area and their species are all highly localized endemics, each only found on one or a few diminutive islands. In South America, the diversity is considerably higher west of the Andes (Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena region) than east (Amazon basin), as well illustrated in Ecuador where about 2⁄3 of the anole species live in the former region and 1⁄3 in the latter.
The only species native to the contiguous United States is the Carolina (or green) anole, which ranges as far west as central Texas, and north to Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia. Its northern limit is likely related to cold winter temperatures. Several anole species have been introduced to the contiguous US, mostly Florida, but also other Gulf Coast states and California. The most prevalent of these introductions is the brown anole. In contrast to the contiguous United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are home to 16 native species, all endemic.
Anoles inhabit a wide range of habitats, from highlands (up to at least 2,600 m or 8,500 ft above sea level) to the coast, and rainforest to desert scrub. A few live in limestone karst habitats and at least two of these, the Cuban cave anole and Mexican cave anole, will enter caves, sometimes occurring as much as 20 m (65 ft) from the entrance. Some species live close to humans and may use fences or walls of building as perches, even inhabiting gardens or trees along roads in large cities like Miami. Most anoles are arboreal or semi-arboreal, but there are also terrestrial and semi-aquatic species. They are often, especially in the Caribbean, grouped into six ecomorphs—crown giant, trunk crown, trunk, trunk ground, twig, and grass bush—that inhabit specific niches. Other less widely used groups are ground, ground bush, twig giant, saxicolous, and riparian (alternatively semi-aquatic). However, the species within each ecomorph group are not entirely alike and there are variations in the details of their niches, including both widespread generalists and more restricted specialists. The niche differentiation allows several anoles to inhabit the same locality, with up to 15 species at a single site.
Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfamily, Dactyloidae, of the family Iguanidae. In the past they were included in the family Polychrotidae together with Polychrus (bush anoles), but the latter genus is not closely related to the true anoles.
Anoles are small to fairly large lizards, typically green or brownish, but their color varies depending on species and many can also change it. In most species at least the male has a dewlap, an often brightly colored flap of skin that extends from the throat/neck and is used in displays. Anoles share several characteristics with geckos, including details of the foot structure (for climbing) and the ability to voluntarily break off the tail (to escape predators), but they are only very distantly related, anoles being part of Iguania.
Anoles are active during the day and feed mostly on small animals such as insects, but some will also take fruits, flowers, and nectar. They are fiercely territorial. After mating, the female lays an egg (occasionally two); in many species she may do so every few days or weeks. The egg is typically placed on the ground, but in some species it is placed at higher levels.
Anoles are widely studied in fields such as ecology, behavior, and evolution, and some species are commonly kept in captivity as pets. Anoles can function as a biological pest control by eating insects that may harm humans or plants, but represent a serious risk to small native animals and ecosystems if introduced to regions outside their home range.
Anoles are a very diverse and plentiful group of lizards. They are native to tropical and subtropical South America, Central America, Mexico, the offshore East Pacific Cocos, Gorgona and Malpelo Islands, the West Indies and southeastern United States.
A particularly high species richness exists in Cuba (more than 60 species), Hispaniola (more than 55), Mexico (more than 50), Central America, Colombia (more than 75), and Ecuador (at least 40). Fewer live in eastern and central South America (for example, less than 20 species are known from huge Brazil), Contiguous United States (1 native species), and the Lesser Antilles (about 25 species in total, with 1–2 species on each island). However, the Lesser Antilles are relatively rich compared to their very small land area and their species are all highly localized endemics, each only found on one or a few diminutive islands. In South America, the diversity is considerably higher west of the Andes (Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena region) than east (Amazon basin), as well illustrated in Ecuador where about 2⁄3 of the anole species live in the former region and 1⁄3 in the latter.
The only species native to the contiguous United States is the Carolina (or green) anole, which ranges as far west as central Texas, and north to Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia. Its northern limit is likely related to cold winter temperatures. Several anole species have been introduced to the contiguous US, mostly Florida, but also other Gulf Coast states and California. The most prevalent of these introductions is the brown anole. In contrast to the contiguous United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are home to 16 native species, all endemic.
Anoles inhabit a wide range of habitats, from highlands (up to at least 2,600 m or 8,500 ft above sea level) to the coast, and rainforest to desert scrub. A few live in limestone karst habitats and at least two of these, the Cuban cave anole and Mexican cave anole, will enter caves, sometimes occurring as much as 20 m (65 ft) from the entrance. Some species live close to humans and may use fences or walls of building as perches, even inhabiting gardens or trees along roads in large cities like Miami. Most anoles are arboreal or semi-arboreal, but there are also terrestrial and semi-aquatic species. They are often, especially in the Caribbean, grouped into six ecomorphs—crown giant, trunk crown, trunk, trunk ground, twig, and grass bush—that inhabit specific niches. Other less widely used groups are ground, ground bush, twig giant, saxicolous, and riparian (alternatively semi-aquatic). However, the species within each ecomorph group are not entirely alike and there are variations in the details of their niches, including both widespread generalists and more restricted specialists. The niche differentiation allows several anoles to inhabit the same locality, with up to 15 species at a single site.
