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Charm Anole (Anolis gracilipes)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Sauria | Anolidae | Anolis gracilipes
English common name: Charm Anole.
Spanish common name: Anolis encantador.
Recognition: ♂♂ 18.5 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=5.8 cm. ♀♀ 19.1 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=6.1 cm..1,2 Anoles are easily distinguishable from other lizards by their diurnal habits, extensible dewlap in males, expanded digital pads, and granular scales on the dorsum and belly.3 The Charm Anole (Anolis gracilipes) can be distinguished from the other species of Anolis with which it co-occurs based on coloration and dewlap pattern.4 The dorsum is dark-brown with silver to bronze inverted chevrons, the flanks are greenish, and there is a yellow-green mark under the eye and on the upper lip; females may have a pale vertebral stripe with black edges.5,6 The dewlap is bright orange with rows of greenish scales.4 Two Chocoan anoles similar to A. gracilipes in dewlap coloration are A. fraseri and A. binotatus. Anolis fraseri is larger in body size and has an elevated dorsal crest.4,7 Anolis binotatus has a white ventrolateral stripe and an orange-red (instead of saffron yellow) dewlap.
Figure 1: Individuals of Anolis gracilipes from Ecuador: Milpe Bird Sanctuary, Pichincha province (); Canandé Reserve, Esmeraldas province (); Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve, Esmeraldas province (). j=juvenile.
Natural history: Anolis gracilipes is a common diurnal lizard that inhabits old-growth to moderately disturbed evergreen forests4,8 as well as human-modified environments such as clearings, forest remnants along streams, and rural gardens.2,9 Charm Anoles are included in the “grass-bush” anole ecomorph because they primarily use the undergrowth and herbaceous forest strata 0–2.5 m above the ground, and because they have a small body (~5 cm snout-vent-length), long-tail (>1.5–2 SVL), and long legs (>0.75 SVL).9,10 They generally use perches around 1.5 cm in diameter,9 but may also forage on the forest floor.2,4 These lizards are primarily active during sunny or cloudy days when the ambient temperature is 18.7–25.4°C.9 At night, they roost on twigs, stems, ferns, or fragile leaves 20–205 cm above the ground and usually near their daytime perches.2,4 This behavior allows them to detect potential predators by sensing the vibration on the perch, to which they respond by jumping and disappearing into the dark.2 Charm Anoles rely primarily on their camouflage to avoid predation, but they can also jump to the ground and swiftly run away.2 There is an unpublished photographic record of a Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium nubicola) preying upon an individual of this species.2 Anolis gracilipes is a primarily insectivorous predator. Individuals feed mainly on insects of the order Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, and Coleoptera, but also include mollusks, isopods, insect larvae, spiders, and seeds in their diet.9 Anoles in general lay clutches of one egg,11,12 but the clutch size and nesting sites of A. gracilipes are not known.
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..13 Anolis gracilipes is listed in this category given its wide distribution, presence in protected areas, and presumed large stable populations.13 Therefore, the species is considered to be facing no major immediate extinction threats. However, in the Pacific lowlands of northwestern Ecuador, much (~56%)14 of the species’ habitat has been lost due to deforestation caused by rural-urban development and the expansion of the agricultural frontier.15,16 For this reason, A. gracilipes may qualify for a threatened category at the national level if the habitat loss continues.
Distribution: Anolis gracilipes occurs in the Chocoan lowlands and adjacent Andean foothills from western Colombia to Cotopaxi province in west-central Ecuador. This species has been recorded at elevations between 9 and 1162 m (Fig. 2).
Figure 2: Distribution of Anolis gracilipes in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: Paramba, Imbabura province. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The generic name Anolis is thought to have originated from Cariban languages, specifically from the word anoli, which is the name Arawak peoples may have used to refer to this group of lizards.17 The specific epithet gracilipes, which comes from the Latin words gracilis (=slender) and pedis (=foot),18 refers to the feebly dilated digits of this anole.5
See it in the wild: Charm Anoles are usually found in closed-canopy situations rather than in open or semi-open areas. In Ecuador, the best localities to find lizards of this species are Otongachi Reserve, Bilsa Biological Reserve, and Milpe Bird Sanctuary. These lizards can be seen perching on leaves and small twigs along forest trails during the night.
Special thanks to Darcy Barry for symbolically adopting the Charm Anole and helping bring the Reptiles of Ecuador book project to life.
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Authors: Angie Tovar-OrtizaAffiliation: Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. and Alejandro ArteagabAffiliation: Fundación Khamai, Reserva Arlequín, Ecoruta Paseo del Quinde km 56, Santa Rosa de Mindo, Pichincha 171202, Ecuador.
Photographer: Jose VieiracAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,dAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Tovar-Ortiz A, Arteaga A (2022) Charm Anole (Anolis gracilipes). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/CMJH5765
Literature cited:
- Williams EE, Rand H, Rand AS, O’Hara RJ (1995) A computer approach to the comparision and identification of species in difficult taxonomic groups. Breviora 502: 1–47.
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Peters JA, Donoso-Barros R (1970) Catalogue of the Neotropical Squamata: part II, lizards and amphisbaenians. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, Washington, D.C., 293 pp.
- Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Guayasamin JM (2013) The amphibians and reptiles of Mindo. Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, 257 pp.
- Boulenger GA (1898) An account of the reptiles and batrachians collected by Mr. Rosenberg in western Ecuador. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 9: 107–126.
- Yánez-Muñoz M, Meza-Ramos P, Ramírez S, Reyes-Puig J, Oyagata L (2009) Anfibios y reptiles del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito (DMQ). In: Yánez-Muñoz MH, Moreno-Cárdenas PA, Mena-Valenzuela P (Eds) Guía de campo de los pequeños vertebrados del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito (DMQ). Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales (MECN), Quito, 9–52.
- Ayala-Varela F, Valverde S, Poe S, Narváez AE, Yánez- Muñoz MH, Torres-Carvajal O (2021) A new giant anole (Squamata: Iguanidae: Dactyloinae) from southwestern Ecuador. Zootaxa 4991: 295–317. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4991.2.4
- Ortega-Andrade HM, Bermingham J, Aulestia C, Paucar C (2010) Herpetofauna of the Bilsa Biological Station, province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Check List 6: 119–154. DOI: 10.15560/6.1.119
- Boada Viteri EA (2015) Ecología de una comunidad de lagartijas del género Anolis (Iguanidae: Dactyloinae) de un bosque pie-montano del Ecuador occidental. BSc thesis, Quito, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 111 pp.
- Moreno-Arias R, Velasco JA, Urbina Cardona J, Cárdenas-Arévalo G, Medina Rangel G, Gutiérrez Cárdenas P, Olaya-Rodriguez M, Noguera-Urbano E (2021) Atlas de la biodiversidad de Colombia. Anolis. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogotá, 72 pp.
- Blackburn D (1999) Viviparity and oviparity: evolution and reproductive strategies. In: Knobil E, Neill JD (Eds) Encyclopedia of Reproduction. Academic Press, London, 994–1003.
- Ayala-Varela F (2004) Revisión taxonómica y de variación geográfica de las especies de Anolis (Sauria: Polychrotidae) del Oriente Ecuatoriano. BSc thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 204 pp.
- Cisneros-Heredia DF, Castañeda MR, Bolívar W, Velasco J (2020) Anolis gracilipes. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T44577372A44577381.en
- MAE (2012) Línea base de deforestación del Ecuador continental. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador, Quito, 30 pp.
- Miyata KI (2013) Studies on the ecology and population biology of little known Ecuadorian anoles. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 161: 45–78.
- Cisneros-Heredia DF (2006) Distribution and ecology of the western Ecuador frog Leptodactylus labrosus (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae). Zoological Research 27: 234–255.
- Allsopp R (1996) Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 776 pp.
- Brown RW (1956) Composition of scientific words. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C., 882 pp.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Anolis gracilipes in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used. Asterisk (*) indicates type locality.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Colombia | Nariño | Reserva Natural El Pangán | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Carchi | Casa Riva | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Carchi | Chical, 10 km W of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Carchi | Chical, 5 km W of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Carchi | Chinambí | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Carchi | Río Mira | MCZ 70223; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Carchi | Sendero Awá | Yanez-Muñoz 2009 |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | El Jardín de los Sueños | Photo by Christophe Pellet |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Guasaganda | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Guasaganda, 4.4 km NW of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Cotopaxi | Vía Pucayacu–Sigchos | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Alto Tambo | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Ambientes cercanos terminal del OCP | Valencia & Garzón 2011 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bilsa Biological Station | Ortega-Andrade et al. 2010 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Bosque Integral Otokiki | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Cabeceras de Bilsa | Almendariz & Carr 2007 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Cachabi | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Canandé Biological Reserve | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Chipa | Vázquez et al. 2005 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Cresta San Francisco | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Cupa | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Durango | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Itapoa Reserve | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | La Pedorrera | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | La Tola | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Laguna de Cube | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Las Mareas | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Lote Rosero | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Lote Salvadores | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Mompiche | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Monte Saíno | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Playa de Oro | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Quinindé | MCZ 176922; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Tundaloma Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Bosque Protector Los Cedros | Los Cedros Reserve 2022 |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Cielo Verde, 4 km NW of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Lita | USNM 287909; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Paramba* | Boulenger 1898 |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Reserva 7 Cascadas | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Centro Científico Río Palenque | Miyata 1976 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Santa María del Toachi, 4 km E of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Alluriquín | MCZ 176921; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Alto Río Toachi | USNM 234689; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | El Abrazo del Árbol | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Granja Las Palmeras | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Hostería Selva Virgen | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Kapari Lodge (stream) | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Las Palmas | MCZ 127696; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Mashpi lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Milpe Bird Sanctuary | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Mindo, 28 km W of | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Nanegal, 2 km N of | GBIF |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Puerto Quito | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Blanco | USNM 234692; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Río Caoni | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | San Miguel de los Bancos | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Tanti | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Centinela | USNM 285678; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | El Esfuerzo, 2 km E of | MCZ 171862; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Finca Gloria | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Hacienda Espinosa | CAS 13271; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Joe Ramsey farm | USNM 234687; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | La Concordia, 8 km SE of | USNM 234688; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | La Florida | MCZ 175915; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | La Florida, 5 km W of | Arteaga et al. 2013 |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Reserva Otongachi | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Río Baba | UIMNH 66141; collection database |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo de los Colorados | ICN 3993; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 5 km W of | USNM 234686; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 9 km N of | KU 298420; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Tinalandia | MCZ 144301; VertNet |