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 subfamily, Dactyloidae, of the family Iguanidae. In the past they were included in the family Polychrotidae together with Polychrus, but the latter genus is not closely related to the true anoles.
Anolis carolinensis or green anole is a tree-dwelling species of anole lizard native to the southeastern United States and introduced to islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. A small to medium-sized lizard, the green anole can change its color to several shades from brown to green.
The brown anole, also known commonly as the Cuban brown anole, or De la Sagra's anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, via the importation and exportation of plants where the anole would lay eggs in the soil of the pots, and is now found in Florida and as far north in the United States as southern Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii, and Southern California. It has also been introduced to other Caribbean islands, Mexico and Taiwan in Asia.
The knight anole is the largest species of anole in the Dactyloidae family. Other common names include Cuban knight anole or Cuban giant anole, highlighting its native country, but it has also been introduced to Florida. In its native Cuba, this large anole is called chipojo.
Anolis pulchellus, the Puerto Rican bush anole, snake anole, or Puerto Rican anole, is a small anole lizard of the family Dactyloidae. The species is among the most common lizards in Puerto Rico, and also native to Vieques, Culebra, and the Virgin Islands.
Anolis cristatellus is a small species of anole, belonging to the Dactyloidae family of reptiles, which is native to Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, with introduced populations in locations around the Caribbean. The males of A. cristatellus are easily recognizable by the fin running down the top of the tail, which is known as a "caudal crest". The females also have these crests, but these are smaller than those of the males. It is often quite common in many areas on Puerto Rico, where it can be seen during the day passing the time on the lower parts of tree trunks, or on fences and the walls of buildings in urban areas, sometimes venturing down onto the ground in order to lay eggs, have a snack, or do other cursorial activities. Like many anoles, this species displays the characteristic behaviour of doing push-ups as well as inflating a pizza-like flap of coloured skin on their throat, known as a dewlap, in order to show others how hip they are, and thus attract mates or intimidate rivals. The species is known locally as the lagartijo común, and in English it is sometimes called either the crested anole, the common Puerto Rican anole, or the Puerto Rican crested anole. There are two allopatric subspecies found in different geographical areas, with slightly different coloured dewlaps and crests.
Anolis garmani, the Jamaican giant anole, also known as the Jamaican anole or Jamaica giant anole, is a species of anole, a lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Jamaica, but has been introduced to Florida.
Anolis distichus, the bark anole, North Caribbean bark anole, or Hispaniolan gracile anole, is a species of anole lizard native to Hispaniola and the Bahamas, and introduced to Florida, where it was first recorded in 1946. It spends most its time on tree trunks. There are several subspecies and it is highly variable in color. Its body ranges from gray-brown to green, and the dewlap is cream-white, over yellow and orange to red. In Florida, most are gray-brown with a cream-white dewlap, but more greenish individuals with a yellow-edged red dewlap also occur. It is a fairly small anole, reaching up to 12.7 cm (5.0 in) in length.
Anolis allisoni, also known commonly as Allison's anole or Cuban blue anole is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Cuba, the Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos off the mainland of Honduras, and Half Moon Caye off the mainland of Belize. There is also a single doubtful record from Cozumel, Mexico. This diurnal species is commonly seen on palm trunks, and it feeds on invertebrates. It is among the relatively few anole species in which females may lay their eggs together, forming a communal nest.
The Barbados anole is a species of anole lizard that is native to Barbados, an island-nation in the Caribbean. Originally endemic to Barbados, it has since been introduced to Saint Lucia and Bermuda. It was previously treated as a subspecies of Martinique's anole, A. roquet.
Anolis gingivinus, also known as the Anguilla Bank tree anole, Anguilla bank anole, and Anguilla anole, is a species of anole lizard that is endemic to the Caribbean Lesser Antilles islands of Anguilla and its satellites, such as Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy.
Anolis bimaculatus, the panther anole, also known as the St. Eustatius anole or Statia Bank tree anole, is a species of anole lizard that is endemic to the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. It is found on the St. Kitts Bank of islands, which comprise Saint Kitts, Nevis, and Sint Eustatius.
Anolis lividus, the Plymouth anole or Montserrat anole, is a species of anole lizard that is endemic to the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. It is widespread and abundant in many areas.
Anolis luciae, also known commonly as the St. Lucia anole or Saint Lucian anole, is a species of anole lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is endemic to Saint Lucia, an island-nation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.
Anolis griseus, the Saint Vincent's tree anole or Saint Vincent tree anole, is a species of anole lizard.
Anolis trinitatis, also known as Saint Vincent bush anole, Saint Vincent's bush anole, or the Trinidad anole, is a species of anole lizard found in the Caribbean.
The Grenada bush anole or bronze anole is a species of anole lizard found in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles and South America. It is distributed on Grenada and throughout the Grenadines islands, and it has been introduced to Trinidad and Tobago. It can also be found in Guyana on the mainland, where it is locally abundant, though these populations are not native, either.
Anolis richardii, commonly known as the Grenada tree anole or Richard's anole, is a species of anole lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is found in the Caribbean.
Anolis stratulus is a moderately-sized species of anole found in Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. It is a gray-colored lizard spotted with brown markings. It is arboreal, usually found positioned on tree bark on branches in the canopies of forest trees, where in some areas of Puerto Rico it can be incredibly abundant, with tens of thousands of the lizards being present per hectare.
The Curacao striped anole or striped anole is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. It is native to Curaçao and Aruba of the Netherlands Antilles, but has also been introduced to Klein Curaçao. It is generally common, and is particularly common in densely vegetated gardens in the capital Willemstad. It is found in dry tropical shrubland at all elevations in its range, but is uncommon in habitats without larger trees. It can often be seen on rocks, the walls of buildings or tree trunks; at various heights but often relatively close to the ground. It is a member of the A. chrysolepis species group.
