10 Fascinating Anoles You May Have Never Seen Before!

When you think of Anoles you may think of the well-known green anole or even the brown anole. However, there are actually hundreds of different types of anoles out in the wild! Today we’ll be taking a look at 10 of these fascinating reptiles, so keep reading to find out which ones made the list!

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1. Saban Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis sabanus
Geographic Range: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Saban anoles get their name from the island they inhabit, the island of Saba which is a Dutch municipality in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. Male Saban anoles range in size (not including tail) from 2.9 – 7.2 cm (1.1 – 2.8 inches), while females are quite a bit smaller and range in length from 2.3 – 2.5 cm (0.91 – 0.98 inches). Their bodies are generally pale grey or tan in color, and they have pale yellow dewlaps. Males are easily identified by the dark patches covering their bodies. While they are rare in that they are only endemic to the island of Saba, they are quite common on the island itself.

2. Pug-Nosed Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis capito
Geographic Range: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama
Conservation Status: Least Concern

The pug-nosed anole is named because of its relatively short snout when compared to other anoles, just as pugs have short snouts. They also have quite long gangly legs, and grow to be about 7.8 – 9.6 cm (3 – 3.8 inches) in length, not including the tail. Thanks to a herpetological review we have learned that this anole may actually prey upon frogs as well as mainly spiders, orthopterans, caterpillars, and occasionally slugs and other anoles. The pug-nosed anole is most often found on the ground, or close to the ground, perched low on tree trunks.

3. Allison’s Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis allisoni
Geographic Range: Cuba
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Allison’s anole is also called the Cuban blue anole, and can be found throughout Cuba, the Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos (Honduras), Half Moon Caye (Belize), and has now been introduced and spotted in Florida. They are unique in that they are one of the few anole species that are known to have communal nests, where the females will lay their eggs together. They are diurnal anoles and spend most of their time higher up in the trees.

Female Allison’s anoles resemble green anoles, as they are primarily green with pale stomachs/throats. Males have a green base, as well as a bright blue head and legs, as well as a portion of the front of their body may also be blue. Males also have a reddish-pink dewlap. Both males and females are able to change color to brown quite quickly. They range from 7.5 – 10 cm (3 – 4 inches) in length, not including the tail, with males tending to be on the larger side.

4. Knight Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis equestris
Geographic Range: Cuba
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Next, we have the knight anole, also commonly referred to as the Cuban giant anole. Unsurprisingly, these anoles are from Cuba, however, they have been introduced to and are now an invasive species in Florida, USA. While they spend most of their time high up in the trees of forests, mangroves, savannas, and cultivated areas, they sometimes can be found on warm asphalt, rocks, and sidewalks. They are highly territorial anoles, and when threatened they will puff up with air, open their mouths angrily, and may even bob their heads up and down. 

Knight anoles are considered the largest species of anoles, ranging between 9 – 19 cm (3.5 – 7.5 inches) not including their tail, with males being on the larger side. They are mostly green and have two yellow stripes. The first is on their head, and the second is on their shoulder. Males have a pinkish-white dewlap.

5. Proboscis Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis proboscis
Geographic Range: Ecuador
Conservation Status: Endangered

Due to the fact that male proboscis anoles have long protruding structures from their noses, they are often called Pinocchio lizards or horned anoles. They are one of the smaller anole species, with short limbs and a body length (not including their tail) of 5 – 7.5 cm (2 – 3 inches). Both males and females have dewlaps, but only males have the proboscis on their noses. Both the dewlaps and proboscis are thought to be used in courtship displays. They come in a variety of colors, and range from yellowish-green to brown with orange or black markings.

Their current known habitat is a small stretch of vegetation across an Ecuadorian highway. The species was thought to be extinct as they had not been seen since their first collection in 1953. However, they were rediscovered in 2004, and have been occasionally found since then. They are considered endangered due to their small population and the threat of habitat loss.

6. Crested Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis cristatellus
Geographic Range: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Crested anoles are on the smaller side of anoles, and can be found throughout Peurto Rico, the U.S. and the British Virgin Islands, and have been introduced to various locations in the Caribbean. Crested anoles have two different subspecies, with both varying slightly in colors. They can be found in various locations, from open fields to rainforests, as well as urban areas. 

As their name suggests, male anoles have crests running down their tails, backs, and heads. Females also have these crests on their tails, however, they are much less noticeable than the males. They vary in color, their body ranging from bronze to greenish-grey. Crested anoles are on average 7.5 cm (3 inches) in length, not including their tails. Males have dewlaps that are various yellows on the inside and fade into a red or orange color around the edges. Females have smaller dewlaps than males.

7. Water Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis aquaticus
Geographic Range: Costa Rica, Panama
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Water anoles are a species of anole that can be found along the western coast of Costa Rica. These anoles are unique due to their special ability to spend up to 16 minutes underwater! They form an air bubble that clings to their head, which allows the anole to recycle their air supply while they spend time underwater. Since water anoles tend to have slow running speeds compared to other anoles, it is thought that they may hide underwater to avoid predators. Like some other anoles, they are able to change colors to indicate stress, camouflage, and attract a mate.

8. Blue Anole

The blue anole has also been featured on our list of “10 Beautiful Blue Reptiles“.

Scientific Name: Anolis gorgonae
Geographic Range: Island of Gorgona, in the Colombian Pacific
Conservation Status: Near Threatened

The next blue reptile on our list is the blue anole. The blue anole is a small, very threatened species of lizard that can only be found on one island in the Colombian Pacific. This means that any dangers presented to them can be detrimental to their population. Major threats to these little lizards include deforestation and destruction of habitat, as well as the introduction of the western basilisks to the island. What’s cool about these anoles is that both the males and the females are a bright gorgeous blue, instead of just the males as is usual. The male has a white dewlap, and some individuals have dark mottled spots on their heads and necks.

9. Agassiz’s Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis agassizi
Geographic Range: Colombia
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Agassiz’s anoles can only be found on Malpelo Island, which is located in Colombia. They are named after Alexander Agassiz, who was an American zoologist. Their preferred habitat is moist areas with plenty of rocks. These anoles are less aggressive than other species of anoles and are often found sharing perches and even food sources. An interesting fact is they seem to be attracted to the color orange.

Males of this species are larger than females. On average Agassiz’s anoles range in length, not including their tail, from 7.9 – 11.4 cm (3.1 – 4.5 inches). In general, they are grey-brown in color, with spotted heads. Some males have black crests on the tops of their heads, their head color is more black than spotted, and these males tend to grow larger than other males. 

10. Equatorial Anole

Scientific Name: Anolis aequatorialis
Geographic Range: Colombia, Ecuador
Conservation Status: Least Concern

Last but not least on our list of anoles is the beautiful equatorial anole. They are easily recognizable due to their unique dewlap, which is marbled with black, just like the rest of their body. Equatorial anoles are fairly common and can be found in any moist, shady, forested area within Ecuador and Columbia. They are wary and elusive, preferring to hide away, and may bite if grabbed

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