The Crested Anole is a species of Anole lizard that is native to Peurto Rico and the Virgin Islands. However, it has also been introduced to other parts of the Caribbean.
This lizard is known by a few common names including the Puerto Rican Crested Anole and the Common Puerto Rican Anole.
In its native range it is known locally as lagartijo común, which is Spanish for Common Lizard.
Crested Anole Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Crested Anole belongs to is called Dactyloidae. This is simply the scientific name for the family of different kinds of Anoles.
The species in this family are native to the Americas and can be found from the South-Eastern United States to as far South as Paraguay.
There is debate over whether the Dactyloidae family should be considered a true family of lizard at all.
The debate is that they should be classified as a sub-family of Iguanidae. If this was the case, anoles would be classified in the same family as Iguanas.
However, regardless of whether you classify Dactyloidae as a family or sub-family, the lizards in this group are a relative of the lizards in the Iguana family.
Genus
The genus that the Crested Anole belongs to is called Anolis. This is one of the largest genera of reptiles with hundreds of species classified as Anolis since the genus was first published in 1802.
However, since then many of these species have been reclassified under different genera while there are also ongoing discussions to reclassify other species.
Despite this, the Anolis genus is still one of the largest and most diverse genera of lizards in the world.
Some of the other species in the Anolis genus include Brown Anole, the Knight Anole and the Green Anole.
Species
The scientific name for the Crested Anole is Anolis cristatellus and there are currently two recognised sub-species.
The species was first described in 1837 by two French Zoologists named André Marie Constant Duméril and Gabriel Bibron.
Duméril and Bibron were responsible for describing a number of species together including the Veiled Chameleon and the Mourning Gecko.
The nominate sub-species has the scientific name Anolis cristatellus cristatellus while the other sub-species is known as Anolis cristatellus wileyae.
Crested Anole Description
The Crested Anole typically has a Snout to Vent length of between 5cm and 7cm with males typically being a little larger than females.
The Snout to Vento length is the total length of the lizard excluding the tail.
The male Crested Anole has a grey to light brown coloration and can have a crest on their tail, hence their name.
They also have a large dewlap which is a fold of skin under their neck that can be extended out. They usually do this to attract females or to show their dominance.
Females typically have a light-coloured stripe on their back. This is also present in juvenile males but fades as the lizard matures.
It is easy to distinguish between a mature male and female as the females lack the crest on their tail. They also don’t have the dewlap on their neck.
The Crested Anole has the ability to change color. They typically do this in response to environmental changes, lighting and their mood.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Crested Anole can be found on many of the Caribbean islands. This species is native to many of these islands but has been introduced to others.
This species of Anole has also been introduced to some countries on the mainland including the United States where it can be found in Florida. It can also be found in Costa Rica in Central America.
This lizard can be found in places such as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and other smaller islands such as the Virgin Islands, Dominica and St Lucia.
The Crested Anole is an arboreal species that will spend most of its time perched, although they will usually stay fairly close to the ground.
This species can often be found in open areas and urban settings as they will often hang out on walls and fences.
Crested Anole Behaviour
The Crested Anole is a diurnal species of lizard meaning they are most active during the day and will sleep during the night.
These lizards will typically perch vertically on the trunk of a tree or on fences or walls with their heads facing towards the ground.
They typically like to basks on surfaces that are facing the sun and while they are capable climbers, they will typically stay relatively close to the ground.
They are extremely territorial and males will often put on a display to assert his dominance if another male encroaches on their territory.
These displays can involve extending their dewlaps and even performing push-ups or head bobbing.