Reptile · GBIF taxon 2466939
Green Anole
Anolis carolinensisAlso known as American Anole, Carolina Anole, American Chameleon, Green Carolina Anole
Native to the southeastern United States, green anoles excel at tree canopy life, using specialized adhesive toe pads to scale vertical trunks and glass panes with ease. Males display a bright magenta throat fan called a dewlap alongside head bobs to mark territory and court females. Their skin shifts rapidly between bright green and dark brown depending on temperature, stress levels, and camouflage needs.
DiurnalArborealReptile
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Spiders
- Flies
- Crickets
Predators
- Predatory Birds
- Snakes
- Domestic Cats
ThreatsCompetition from invasive brown anoles, habitat fragmentation, and feral cats
HabitatsSubtropical forests, woodlands, gardens, and suburban yards
Life span3 to 6 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyDactyloidae
- SpeciesAnolis carolinensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Look for them on sunny garden fences and shrubs in the early morning as they warm themselves.
- Handling: Keep hands off wild individuals, as their delicate tails break off easily to escape capture.
- Gardening: Maintain native shrubs and avoid broad-spectrum pesticides to support their natural insect food source.
Invasive Competitor Nosferattus / CC0 · cc0
Co-Occurring Reptile Ryan Somma / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Jennifer Aitkens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Robin White, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Robin White · cc-by
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