Simon K. sent me an e-mail with some information about the lizard I photographed the other day.

A few interesting facts about the lizard you photographed:

He’s a green anole (anolis carolinensis), and you’re right in assuming it’s a he. Male anoles are easily recognized from the small red line under their throats, which they can inflate into a large, circular flap. They do this to attract female attention, and to show off when other males enter their territories (they are highly territorial). They are able to climb any surface, even glass, and are in fact better at changing colour than chameleons. While they are called “green anoles”, they can be either green, brown or black, depending on their mood, and can even change their eye colour (to blue, green, brown or black). They feed on small insects, and many people keep them as both pets and pest controls.

*grin*

-Simon K,
Linux hacker and amateur reptile keeper. 🙂

Fascinating stuff. I saw him do the neck thing, and it’s good to know that I have a green anole as natural pest exterminator. We need something around here to keep the gnat and mosquito population down. (:

Thanks, Simon!