Cuban Green Anole
Anolis porcatus
Natural History:
The Cuban Green Anole is a small species of anole endemic to Cuba although populations have been introduce in the Florida Everglades where they compete with the closely related Carolinian Anole for resources. In Florida there are rumours that the Cuban Green Anole and the Carolinian Anole hybridize although because the physiology of the two species are so similar it makes it hard to confirm these rumours. Genetics tests have found that a population of anoles in southern Miami have haplotypes from both the Cuban Green Anole and the Carolinian Anole. The hybrids found show that there has been a long history of hybridization of up to several generations. The hybrids have also been found to retain specific alleles that may prove advantageous to the animal's survival rate.
The Cuban Green Anole and the Carolinian Anole are able to hybridize due to their close genetic makeup. Both species originated from one parent species that colonized the Florida mainland during the lower Pleistocene era when Florida was isolated from the rest of North America by glaciers. Its due to this recent common ancestor that both the DNA of both species along with their physiology has remained so similar.
As their name suggests, Cuban Green Anoles are green and use their green colouration as a form of camouflage against predators. This method of camouflage does work provided the lizard is not moving although when in motion it is easily detected by predatory birds. Because of their small size, many different bird species will prey on the Cuban Green Anole from predatory birds such as hawks to smaller passerine birds like that of the Cuban Blackbird.
Like other anoles the Cuban Green Anole has another specialized way of not becoming prey; when threatened they will drop their tail. The tail has enough nerves in it that even when removed it will continue to twitch to distract predators whole the anole makes a quick escape. The tail will regrow although while the original tail's skeleton was comprised of bone the newly grown tail is comprised of a cartilaginous skeleton. Anoles are able to continue to regrow their tail provided that they are kept well fed and healthy.
The Cuban Green Anole is a small species of anole endemic to Cuba although populations have been introduce in the Florida Everglades where they compete with the closely related Carolinian Anole for resources. In Florida there are rumours that the Cuban Green Anole and the Carolinian Anole hybridize although because the physiology of the two species are so similar it makes it hard to confirm these rumours. Genetics tests have found that a population of anoles in southern Miami have haplotypes from both the Cuban Green Anole and the Carolinian Anole. The hybrids found show that there has been a long history of hybridization of up to several generations. The hybrids have also been found to retain specific alleles that may prove advantageous to the animal's survival rate.
The Cuban Green Anole and the Carolinian Anole are able to hybridize due to their close genetic makeup. Both species originated from one parent species that colonized the Florida mainland during the lower Pleistocene era when Florida was isolated from the rest of North America by glaciers. Its due to this recent common ancestor that both the DNA of both species along with their physiology has remained so similar.
As their name suggests, Cuban Green Anoles are green and use their green colouration as a form of camouflage against predators. This method of camouflage does work provided the lizard is not moving although when in motion it is easily detected by predatory birds. Because of their small size, many different bird species will prey on the Cuban Green Anole from predatory birds such as hawks to smaller passerine birds like that of the Cuban Blackbird.
Like other anoles the Cuban Green Anole has another specialized way of not becoming prey; when threatened they will drop their tail. The tail has enough nerves in it that even when removed it will continue to twitch to distract predators whole the anole makes a quick escape. The tail will regrow although while the original tail's skeleton was comprised of bone the newly grown tail is comprised of a cartilaginous skeleton. Anoles are able to continue to regrow their tail provided that they are kept well fed and healthy.