The knight anole is a beautiful anole from Cuba. It is considered one of the largest anoles, if not THE largest of the anoles. Keep reading to learn more facts about these awesome giant anoles.
The knight anole is also seen on our list of 10 fascinating anoles you may have never heard of before, so check out that article to see even more anoles!
Banner Photo: Source
Quick Facts
Scientific Name: Anolis equestris
Common Names: Knight Anole, Cuban Knight Anole, Cuban Giant Anole
Geographic Range: Cuba, Introduced To the United States
Life Span: Around 8 Years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Top 10 List – Knight Anole
1. Knight Anoles Can Be Found Hanging Out In The Trees
Knight anoles can be found in various habitats with trees, such as forests, mangroves, savannas, cultivated areas, and even gardens. Since they are arboreal, they are mainly found high in the trees, on the trunk, or on branches in the tree canopy. While the majority of their time is spent in trees, they will occasionally venture down to the ground. They do this to get from one tree to another, or to thermoregulate themselves by warming up and soaking up the sun on warm asphalt, rocks, and sidewalks.
2. They Are Considered One of The Largest Anoles
The knight anole is considered one of, if not THE, largest species of anole. With a total length of 33 – 50.8 cm (13 – 20 inches) they are quite big compared to other anoles, and males tend to be larger than females. Usually, they are a bright green color, however, they can change to a dull greyish brown. Some subspecies may have other colors as well, such as beautiful blues. Their dewlaps are pink to white in color, and they have a yellow or white stripe under their eye and over their shoulder. Adhesive toe pads help them climb various surfaces like trees, walls, etc. Another way to identify them is by their long, wedge-shaped snout.
3. Knight Anoles Have 11 Subspecies
Knight anoles currently have been found to have 11 different subspecies. These species have been described/found between 1820 – 2001. Above we have found photos of a few of the different subspecies of the knight anole.
4. They Are Extremely Territorial And Aggressive Lizards
Knight anoles are diurnal lizards, meaning they are awake and active during the day, instead of the night like some other reptiles. They are extremely territorial and aggressive, not liking other knight anoles or anything they find threatening, to get close. When they feel threatened they will turn themselves sideways, extend their dewlaps, raise their back crest, and angrily open their mouths widely. When a male knight anole fights with another male knight anole they have a specific ritual or routine. They will stick their dewlap in and out repeatedly, rise up on all four legs, nod their head stiffly, turn sideways, and then turn a bright green color. Most fights end with this display after the least “impressive” male drops their crest and skulks away. However, if neither male backs down they will rush at each other with their mouths open, trying to win the fight.
5. Their Main Diet Consists of Invertebrates
The main diet of this giant anole is mainly invertebrates, such as grubs, crickets, cockroaches, spiders, moths, and various other insects found in their area. Less commonly they have been observed eating small birds, reptiles, and frogs. It is also common for them to eat fruit and in turn, they help disperse the fruit seeds throughout their range.
6. Breeding Season For The Knight Anole Occurs During The Summer
Breeding season for knight anoles is during the summer. Males and females both can have multiple partners throughout the season. Courting is similar to the beginning of a fight but less extreme or aggressive. The male will nod their heads and frequently expands and contracts their dewlap, before mating with the female knight anole. Every 10 days or so after breeding females will lay one egg that is usually less than an inch in length.
7. Hatchling Anoles Are Self-Sufficient From The Moment They Hatch
After 45 days the hatchling knight anoles will emerge from their eggs, at around 2 – 5 inches in length. After they hatch, they are immediately independent and are forced to fend for themselves. They look similar to adults, just smaller, and females have light crossbands across their bodies. Their diet consists of mainly smaller insects, and as they grow they are able to start eating larger prey and expanding their diets.
8. They Have Been Widely Introduced To Florida, United States
Knight anoles have been widely introduced throughout Florida, making their way across the Florida straights to South Miami in 1952. They reproduce and spread rapidly, making them an invasive species. Unfortunately, they pose a threat to native species, such as displacing the native green anole and taking their resources and space, as well as eating native species and depleting their populations. It is unknown exactly how they got to Florida from Cuba, but two possibilities are they were released by irresponsible pet owners or hitchhiked over on boats traveling between the two places.
As the knight anole is not great at dealing with cold temperatures, especially cold winters in Florida can be a problem for them. During extra cold days, they have been known to “freeze” and fall to the ground from tree canopies. While this is extremely unfortunate for the anole, we imagine it would be scary for anyone taking a walk and having a large knight anole fall on/near them!
9. They Are Sometimes Kept As Pets
While they aren’t as popular in the pet trade as green or brown anoles, they can still occasionally be found for sale as pets. In captivity, if raised from hatchlings, they can learn to be less aggressive. However, it is best to keep handling to a minimum as they will never be sociable like other pet reptiles such as bearded dragons. Because of their large size and beauty, they make great display animals instead. Their care level is considered intermediate, as they need a large enclosure and proper set-up. Common health issues include obesity, metabolic bone disease from a lack of calcium, and respiratory infections from improper housing. If you’re able to set up a proper enclosure and give them a proper diet, these awesome anoles can live for up to 10 years.
10. Knight Anoles and Western Giant Anoles Are Occasionally Confused For Eachother
Photo by Gatorhawk
Photo by josh_vandermeulen
Occasionally, the knight anole (Anolis equestris) and the western giant anole (Anolis luteogularis) can be misidentified as each other. Both of these anoles are found in Cuba and have similar appearances. As their name suggests, they are also both anoles. While the knight anole is often considered the largest anole species, the western giant anole is almost just as large, ranging between 17.6 – 19.1 cm (6.9 – 7.5 inches), not including its tail. The western giant anole tends to be a more muted green in color instead of a bright green, as well as the dewlap has a more yellow or orange color to it than the pink of the knight anole.
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