The brown anole Anolis sagrei is an invasive species found

Last updated: 6/8/2023

The brown anole Anolis sagrei is an invasive species found in the southeastern United States The brown anole originated in the Caribbean but was likely introduced in the southeastern United States due to the escaping of a brown anole which was owned as a pet The brown anole like many other invasive species quickly spread to new territory Green anoles Anolis carolinensis which are native to the southeastern United States are now competing with brown anoles for resources such as food water and territory Although the green anole and the brown anole are similar in appearance there are some differences between the two species A comparison of the characteristics of each lizard species can be seen in the table below In anoles small toe pads are better for gripping irregular surfaces such as the forest floor while large toe pads are better for gripping smooth surfaces such as leaves Anole Species Brown Green A B Body Length C 5 0 8 5 in 4 0 8 0 in Limb Length Long Short Toe Pad Size Medium Large Temperature Tolerance Based on the data in the table above if brown anoles are introduced into a forest where green anoles cur rently live which of the following predictions about the two species is most likely to occur 30 35 degrees Celsius 25 30 degrees Celsius Brown anoles will mostly prey on flying insects and green anoles will prey on worms and grubs reducing competition for the same resource Green anoles are better adapted to the forest habitat and will chase away the intro duced brown anoles Green anoles and brown anoles will evolve to have the same size toe pads due to them sharing the same niche