Species:
Anolis distichus
Bark Anole
Some other names for this species:
Hispaniolan Gracile Anole
December 26, 1998
Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Bark anoles are another non-native species of anole in south Florida, although they've been around long enough (more than 50 years) that some authorities distinguish a Floridian subspecies. They spend their time clinging to trunks and large branches of trees, and this picture shows that they've evolved a good camouflage for this lifestyle.
Todd Jackman has an excellent anole site that discusses the parallel forms and lifestyles that different sets of anoles have evolved on different Caribbean islands.
May 11, 1999
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic


Bark anoles are native to Hispaniola. The CAAR species account describes many subspecies, only one of which lives in the southeast corner of Hispaniola, the location of Casa de Campo. But the description of that subspecies (Anolis distichus properus) doesn't match the color variations I saw. The account says plain ashy to pale green, with a very pale yellow dewlap occasionally sporting a pale orange center. The bark anoles I saw ranged from very dark brown to gray to yellowish, but never green, and the dewlaps had a bright yellow border around a bright orange center. I suspect the populations have moved around and interbred significantly since 1971 when the species account was written, so I won't attempt to specify a subspecies here.
February 14, 2004
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Here's another bark anole from South Florida deciding how much longer to wait before dashing out of sight. (The answer -- one more shutter snap.)
December 25, 2006
Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, Florida


A couple of Christmas Day bark anoles showing off their camouflage, if such a thing is possible.


