Reptiles of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

NC Records
Anolidae Members:
Anolis carolinensis - Green Anole

Photo: Steve Hall and Harry LeGrand

Photo: Gretchen Schramm

Photo: Steve Hall, Todd Pusser, Bo Sullivan

Taxonomy

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Family: Anolidae

Other Common Name(s): Carolina Anole


Taxonomic Comments: The Green Anole is our sole native member of a group of more than 400 species that inhabits the Caribbean and Central and South America. Two species occur in our area, one of which, A. sagrei, is introduced. A much larger number of exotic species have become established in Florida and may eventually show up in our area as the climate warms (see Gibbons et al., 2009 and Powell et al., 2016). The genus Anolis was recently moved to the family Anolidae from its previous placement in Dactyloidae (de Queiroz, 2022).
Species Comments: The type locality for this species is the Carolinas, based on a painting by Mark Catesby. In separate DNA studies using both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, Tollis et al. (2012) and Campbell-Staton et al. (2012) found evidence for four to five distinct clades, one of which is essentially limited to the Carolinas. Several other studies have corroborated these finding and SSAR (2016) suggests that some of these lineages could constitute separate species.

Identification

Description: This species is unmistakable in a good quality photograph. Brown Anoles are similar in size, shape, and behavior but lack a green phase and possess a reticulated pattern of pale and dark spots and lines that are not found in the Green Anole. Dark gray forms of the Eastern Fence Lizard can be somewhat similar in size and color but they have spiny rather than granulated scales and have wavy bands crossing transversely across their backs. They also lack a longitudinal mid-dorsal white stripe and their heads are shorter and less pointed than in anoles.

Field Marks: This species is able to change colors from brown to green, depending on a number of environmental and and social factors; it does not, however, change its colors to match its background. A pale, mid-dorsal line can be present in juveniles and females but the bodies of males are unmarked. Males can be most reliably distinguished based on their strawberry-colored dewlap, which is extended during territorial and courtship displays.

Morphological Features: The entire body of Green Anoles is covered with small scales, with only the scales on the head being somewhat larger but not forming large plates, as in other lizards. This gives their skins a granulated appearance. Under magnification, a small keel is present on the tops of the scales (Palmer and Braswell, 1995).

The toes all possess wide pads located on the next to the last joint, the undersides of which have dense patches of setae. Similar to geckos, these pads allow anoles to climb smooth surfaces, including glass. Unlike geckos, however, the adhesive strength of their pads does not allow them to hang or crawl when upside down.

Technical Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995)

Field Guide Descriptions: Beane et al. (2010); Powell et al. (2016)

Online Photos: Google iNaturalist GBIF

Observation Methods: The territorial displays of the males make them quite conspicuous. Females and juveniles, on the other hand, are usually hard to spot due to their cryptic coloration.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution Comments: Green Anoles occur across the state from the low mountains to the barrier islands. However, the northern edge of their range extends diagonally from southwest to northeast across the state, although that has been moving northward in recent years, probably in response to warming climates. Apart from a couple of records in Currituck County, Palmer and Braswell (1995) knew of no records for this species in the northeast corner of the state, from the mouth of the Roanoke to the counties north of the Albemarle Sound. We now, however, have records from several new counties in that area, including Gates and Halifax, and the species has also been recorded just across the state line in Virginia Beach (Lizards of Virginia, in Virginia Herpetological Society Website, accessed 2023-02-11).
Distribution Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995); NCMNS Herpetology Collection Database (accessed 2023-01)
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Key Habitat Requirements

Habitat: The Green Anole is a climbing species and the presence of trees, shrubs, or woody vines are primary habitat requirements; buildings and other man-made structures offer new substrates that they can make use of. In their original Coastal Plain habitats, they occupied hardwood and pine-dominated flatwoods, sandridges, and maritime forests. They also made use of shrublands, including pocosins and maritime scrub (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). Similar open woodlands, forest edges, and shrubby habitats are now being colonized in the Piedmont, including disturbed areas and semi-wooded residential neighborhoods (Beane et al., 2010).

Environmental and Physiological Tolerances: This species appears to be strongly limited by cold temperatures, with northward shifts in its range probably the result of increasingly warm winters.

Biotic Relationships: Green Anoles feed primarily on arthropods, although snails are also reported as part of their diet. Hall (pers. obs.) observed one individual grabbing skippers out of the air, consuming a series of five that were coming for nectar at a blooming Swamp Loosestrife.

Life History and Autecology

General Ecology

Adverse Environmental Impacts

Effects of Introduced Species/Induced Increases of Native Species: In Florida, competition with introduced species of anoles -- particularly the Brown Anole -- appears to be limiting populations of Green Anoles, possibly eliminating their populations from some areas (Campbell, 2000; Bush et al., 2022).

Status in North Carolina

NHP State Rank: S5

Global Rank: G5

Status Comments: Currently, Green Anoles appear to be secure within the state, although that can change if Brown Anoles begin to spread or other exotic members of this genus become established.

Stewardship: Elimination of Brown Anoles before they spread should help maintain populations of our native Green Anole, which otherwise has few threats or management needs

Photo Gallery for Anolis carolinensis - Green Anole		48 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason Durham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones Gaston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Nora Murdock Henderson Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Alina Martin Swain Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Alina Martin Swain Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephanie Willis Randolph Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones Polk Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones Polk Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones Polk Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones Polk Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Paul Hart Harnett Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Travis McLain Harnett Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Gaston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: G. Schneider Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Montgomery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Travis McLain Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: J. Russell Burke Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Travis McLain Union Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Anson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Terrell Tucker Moore Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Stanly Co. Comment:

Anolis carolinensis - Green Anole

Photo Gallery for Anolis carolinensis - Green Anole

48 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.