Do green anoles eat lettuce

Answer 1

What i have heard they do and here's a little article.

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Read a letter from Jimmy Wales and Michael Snow.[Hide] [Help us with translations!] Carolina anole

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Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2010)Carolina anoleConservation status

Secure (TNC)

Scientific classificationKingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Family:Polychrotidae

Genus:Anolis

Species:A. carolinensis

Binomial nameAnolis carolinensis

Voigt, 1832Subspecies

Anolis carolinensis carolinensis

Anolis carolinensis seminolus

The Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) is an arboreal lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States and some Caribbean islands. Common synonyms include the green anole, American anole and red-throated anole. It is sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its color-changing abilities; however, the Anole is not a true chameleon.

Contents[hide]

• 1 Distribution
• 2 Behavior
• 3 Reproduction
• 4 Coloration and color morphs
• 5 Genomics
• 6 Brown anole
• 7 Gallery
• 8 References
• 9 External links

Distribution

Green anole eating a moth

This species is native to North America, where it is found mainly in the southeastern parts of the continent. Anoles are most abundant on the Atlantic Coastal Plains in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia, and the Gulf Coastal Plain in Texas. The species has been introduced into Hawaii.

Behavior

Anole licking

Anoles are territorial. In fact some have even been witnessed fighting their own reflection in mirrored glass. Stress in an anole can be identified by several symptoms. These symptoms include a constant shade of brown and a persistent black semicircle behind their eyes and chronic lethargy. In a group of one male and several females some aggressive chasing may occur, but the encounters are short lived and less violent than between males.

During shedding an anole may use its mouth to pull the old skin off and will usually eat it. In addition to discarding their tails, anoles will attempt to bite perceived predators if cornered, which can be somewhat painful, but does not cause much harm other than some scratching of the bite area caused by the lizard's teeth.

Anoles are curious creatures. A healthy lizard usually has a good awareness of its surroundings. The males are very territorial and will fight other males to defend its territory. Many times the other male will be a extremely invasive Cuban Brown anole.

Reproduction

Juvenile Female Anole

The typical breeding season for green anoles starts from as early as April and ends to as late as August and lasts even occasionally into September. It is during this time that the most brilliant displays of these creatures can be seen, as the males must court the females with their elaborate displays of extending their brightly colored dewlaps while bobbing up and down, almost doing a dance for her while she runs in temptation from the male. The pursuit will continue until the two successfully mate. Usually, when the female is ready to mate, she may let the male simply "catch" her and he will thus grasp a hold of a fold of her skin above her neck area, or she will bow her head before him and simply "let" him take his grasp. At this point, the male will position his tail underneath the female's near her vent and the mating ritual will take place.

Anoles mating

Male Anole with extended dewlap; used to court females.

After a 2-4 week span following mating, the female will lay her first clutch of eggs, usually ranging from 1-2 in the first clutch. She will continue to lay eggs during the season until a total of 10 or so eggs have been produced. When it comes time for her to lay her eggs, she will bury them in the soft soils or compost nearby, and after that she no longer takes any care for it. The egg(s) are left alone to incubate by the light of the sun and if successful will hatch in 30-45 or so days.

The hatchlings must fend for themselves, anoles are by nature solitary animals since birth and are not cared for by the mother or the father. The young hatchlings must be wary of other adult anoles in the area as well as larger reptiles and mammals who could eat them.

Coloration and color morphs

A male green (Carolina) anole

The typical coloration for a green anole ranges from the richest and brightest of greens to the darkest of browns, with little variation in between. The color spectrum is a resultant of three layers of pigment cells or chromatophores: the xanthophores, responsible for the yellow pigmentation; cyanophores, responsible for the blue pigmentation, and melanophores, responsible for the brown and black pigmentation when the anole is cold or stressed.

There are a few exceptions which are caused when a lack in one of the pigment genes occurs. These color mutations are also called phases. The rare blue-phased green anole lacks xanthophores which results in a blue, often baby or pastel blue, anole. These specimens have become a recent popularity in the trade market. When the anole is completely lacking xanthophores it is said to be axanthic and the animal will have a completely pastel or baby-blue hue. They are extremely rare -- usually produced in 1 out of every 20,000 individual anoles in the wild. Another 'phase' is the yellow-phased green anole, which lacks cyanophores. Colonies of these rare color-phased anoles have been reported, but anoles with these color mutations rarely live for long, since the green color provides camouflage for hunting down prey as well as hiding from predators. When a green anole turns brown, it is a sign of distress. A human is a common predator. These lizards can change colors before your eyes. If they turn brown, in respect, don't continue the catch and walk away.

GenomicsThis species has been chosen as a model reptile for genomics by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) genome sequencing program.[1] It was selected because of the ease and low cost of laboratory breeding and evolutionary value of the diversity of the genus.[2] Brown anoleThe Brown Anole is a highly invasive lizard in the same genus as the Carolina anole. It is native to Cuba and several other Caribbean islands, but has been introduced to Florida and has spread through the state. It has seriously depleted the population of Carolina anoles throughout its range, due to competing with them for food and habitat[citation needed]. Some think that these lizards spread when they laid their eggs in potted plants at nurseries, which were then shipped throughout the state. Gallery

female Carolina anole

Carolina Anole eating dronefly

Molting Carolina Anole

Carolina Anole with dewlap extended

Male Carolina Anole

Female Carolina Anole on a Lily

Hatchling Anole on a fake flower tree

Carolina anole in brown phase

Adult Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) clearly showing the parietal eye at the top of its head.

Carolina anoles mating, Tallahassee, FL

A Green Anole hanging on a branch, Pearland, Texas