''Anolis allisoni'', also known commonly as Allison's anole or Cuban blue anole is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia al ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Dactyloidae 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 subfami ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

(except the west and the far southeast), the Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos off the mainland of Honduras, and

Half Moon Caye Half Moon Caye is an island and natural monument of Belize located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll. This natural monument was the first nature reserve to have been established in Belize under the National Park Systems Act in ...

off the mainland of

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

. Köhler G (2000). ''Reptilien und Amphibien Mittelamerikas. Band 1: Krokodile, Schildkröten, Echsen.'' Offenbach, Germany: Herpeton Verlag. 158 pp.
Lee JC (2000). ''A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Maya World: The Lowlands of Mexico, Northern Guatemala, and Belize.'' Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. 416 pp. There is also a single doubtful record from

Cozumel Cozumel (; yua, Kùutsmil) is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel and is close to the Yucatán ...

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. Recently, the species has been documented in southern

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

. This diurnal species is commonly seen on

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae ** List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (b ...

trunks, and it feeds on

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

s. It is among the relatively few anole species in which females may lay their eggs together, forming a communal nest.

Etymology

The specific name, ''allisoni'', is in honor of American

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

Mr. Allison Vincent Armour.

Taxonomy

''A. allisoni'' is part of the ''carolinensis'' group of anoles, a clade of mid-sized trunk-crown anoles thought to have originated in Cuba. It is very closely related to other anoles of this group such as the American green anole, '' Anolis carolinensis'', and its Cuban "cousin" ''

Anolis porcatus ''Anolis porcatus'', the Cuban green anole, is a species of anole 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 trea ...

''.

Description

In terms of colour and morphology, Allison's anole is superficially similar to the better-known American green anole. While females are overall green with paler underparts, similar to the green anole, males have a reddish-pink

dewlap A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin or similar flesh that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. More loosely, it can be various similar structures in the neck area, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibu ...

, and typically have bright blue heads, forelegs, and frontal half of the body (in males from Honduras, only parts of the head are blue with the remaining green). Bedrossian PR (21 April 2014)
"Anolis allisoni: ''La lagartija de cabeza azul'' "
''Anolis allisoni'': The blue-headed lizard" ''Serie Reptiles y anfibios de Centroamérica''. Retrieved 15 March 2018. In all individuals the throat is usually white. Both sexes are able to rapidly change their colour to brown. Females reach about in snout-vent length and males about . Thomas GH, Meiri S, Phillimore AB (2009). "Body Size Diversification in Anolis: Novel Environment and Island Effects". ''Evolution'' 63 (8): 2017-2030. It is one of the larger species in the ''carolinensis''

species group In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

. Allison's anole is a typical trunk-crown anole. Like other anoles in the ''carolinensis'' group, it has a large, conspicuously triangular-shaped head, and males have a prominent

nuchal The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is also called the nucha (from the Medieval Latin rendering of the Arabic , "spinal marrow"). The corresponding adjective is ''nuchal'', as in the term ''nu ...

crest. This lizard has large subdigital toepads, which help facilitate climbing and clinging to vertical surfaces.

Distribution and habitat

Distribution

''A. allisoni'' is believed to have originated on

but has since spread to Honduras and

. This migration is believed to have occurred long ago as the different populations on these three locations display sufficient

phenotypical In genetics, the phenotype () is the set of observable characteristics or traits of an organism. The term covers the organism's morphology or physical form and structure, its developmental processes, its biochemical and physiological prop ...

and genetic differentiation to be considered for subspecies status. Few specimens have been identified in Mexican

Banco Chinchorro Banco Chinchorro is an atoll reef lying off the southeast coast of the Municipality of Othón P. Blanco in Quintana Roo, Mexico, near Belize. It was featured throughout the 2009 semi-documentary film '' Alamar'' by Pedro González-Rubio. Geogra ...

island . ''A. allisoni'' has been documented in several neighborhoods within southern Florida, surviving and apparently breeding in both small parks and residential housing. This population is likely of Cuban origin and was brought to Florida as eggs accidentally ferried with plants.

Habitat

''A. allisoni'' is a trunk-crown anole, meaning that it is commonly found in the canopy and on the upper trunk of tall trees. It is commonly found up to off the ground. This anole has evolved large subdigital toepads, compared to most other anoles, and this adaptations helps it to cling to vertical surfaces such as the trunks of trees. This lizard is most commonly seen on

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or ...

palm trees. Before coconuts were introduced to the island of Half Moon Caye the lizard probably occupied a similar niche in the crowns of salt water palmettos (''Thrinax radiata''), which was exterminated from the island in 1982. It has been suggested that this plant be reintroduced to the island to provide habitat for the lizards, especially since the coconut palm population on Half Moon Caye has been gradually declining. In more urban areas this lizard may be commonly be seen on walls and other man-made structures. It is a common sight on the island of Cuba, where its population is largest . In Florida, the introduced populations are restricted to a few neighborhoods as of 2021. Their numbers are likely growing as many residents have become aware of the lizards, which show no fear of humans and regularly climb on building walls and nest in yards.

References

External links

*Lowe, Chelsea (2007).
Photo of mating pair of Allison's Anole
'' Flickr. {{Taxonbar, from=Q146544 Anoles Lizards of Central America Reptiles of Belize Reptiles of Honduras Reptiles of Mexico Reptiles described in 1928 Taxa named by Thomas Barbour