Miami Godzilla!

Florida has only one native species of anole (pronounced: uh'no-lee) -- Anolis Carolinensis, popularly known as the Green Anole (see March 20th blog.) The impressively large fellow featured today is a Western Knight Anole (Anolis Equestris) which is not native to Florida, but one of several species of anole introduced here from Cuba.

Knight Anoles are the largest of the Anolis species. They grow in length from 13" to 19-3/8". They have a large and bony head which gives the lizard a profile reminiscent of the knight in chess, hence the name "equestris" which means "knight." Their eyes can move independently. The tail is often longer than the entire body and has a jagged upper edge which at first sight reminds people of an iguana (for which they are often mistaken), this is not such a surprise as they are from the same family (Iguanidae).

Knight Anoles have special adhesive lamella on their five clawed toes that allow them to stick to surfaces making it easier for them to run. This adhesive pad is located on the central part of each toe. Their body is covered with small granular scales with two white or yellowish stripes below each eye and over each shoulder. They are a bright green color, which can change to a light brown with yellow markings. Their color change depends on their mood, temperature, or other types of stimuli. Yellow areas may appear and disappear around the tail. Males are usually larger than females and have a dew lap that they display during courtship and when defending territory.

This fellow just got his meal this morning from one of the larger baby grasshopper from a newly hatched litter that is feeding frenzily on a red Anthurium. I do not know how often he needs to eat, but there is plenty more where this meal comes from in my backyard. For scale, the chain link fence is 3 inch in its diagonal.