Staying Up On Our Lizards

On any given day in Vero Beach, we spot dozens of lizards darting to and fro. Traditionally, most of those lizards would have been anoles. In recent years, several nonnative lizard species have been on the rise in our area. Below are our most common lizards.

Brown Anole

In our area, the brown, or Cuban, anole is the most common lizard at this time, having gradually made its way north after being introduced to the U.S. a century ago. Like its green relative, the brown anole is about 7 inches long. The male of both species possesses a bright reddish-orange dewlap, or throat flap, that it puffs out to attract a mate or discourage territorial competition.

Northern CurlyTailed Lizard

This native of the Bahamas is relatively new to our area, and its range is spreading. With a length of 9 inches and a curled tail, these newcomers can be a bit more intimidating than the innocuous-looking anoles, but they are in fact harmless and are even popular as pets. Nevertheless, they are considered an invasive species because they are out-competing our anoles. The curly-tailed lizard will eat virtually anything, including human food and even smaller species of lizards.

Mediterranean House Gecko

While anoles are seen on all sorts of surfaces, from trees to sidewalks, Mediterranean geckos dwell almost exclusively on walls. And, unlike anoles, these lizards are nocturnal. Having arrived in the U.S. most likely as stowaways on cargo ships, they have also been introduced via the pet trade. Their appearance can vary from a translucent grayish hue to shades of brown with spots, depending on their surroundings.

Green Anole

Of the approximately 400 species of anoles, ranging from the Southeastern United States down to Paraguay, only one is native to the U.S.: the green anole. Due to its ability to change color from bright green to shades of brown, depending upon its mood, it is sometimes erroneously called a chameleon; but anoles are actually more closely related to iguanas. Green anoles, which grow to a length of about 7 inches, were plentiful in the Vero Beach area just a few decades ago, before they declined due to competition from the encroaching brown anoles. From a second-floor window, you may occasionally see green anoles in the treetops. They remain plentiful in other parts of Florida and other Southern states.