Published August 15, 2021. Updated September 16, 2023. Open access. | Purchase book ❯ |
Amazon Bark Anole (Anolis ortonii)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Sauria | Anolidae | Anolis ortonii
English common names: Amazon Bark Anole, Orton’s Anole.
Spanish common names: Anolis corteza, anolis de Orton.
Recognition: ♂♂ 15.3 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=5.7 cm. ♀♀ 13.9 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=5.2 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 Amazon Bark Anole (Anolis ortonii) can be identified based on its coloration and small body size. The dorsum is tan brown or pale gray (dark brown under stress) with various degrees of blackish bark-like markings, and a dark brown interobital bar.1–4 The belly and throat are cream and the iris is brown.1 The dewlap is bright orange with red streaks and present in both sexes, but it is noticeably more developed in males, extending to the middle of the belly.1–6 Anolis ortonii is often confused with A. fuscoauratus, which has a rose-pink dewlap with white scales, and A. trachyderma, which has a small orange-yellow dewlap with black scales.1,4
Figure 1: Individuals of Anolis ortonii from Ecuador: Aguas Negras Lodge, Sucumbíos province (); Río Curaray, Pastaza province ().
Natural history: Anolis ortonii, though a common species, is often overlooked due to its arboreal habits.6 In Amazonia, A. ortonii inhabits semi-open sunny areas in terra-firme as well as seasonally flooded rainforests.6,7 The species also occurs in forest borders, clearings, trees in the middle of pastures, and rural gardens.1–5 In Brazil and Venezuela, A. ortonii can be found in more xeric habitats.8,9 Amazon Bark Anoles prefer tree trunks and large branches, but they may also utilize other substrates such as palm fronds, shrubs, thatched roofs, wooded platforms, building walls, fences, leaf-litter, soil, and lichen-covered rocks.1,2,8–11 These anoles have been observed on trees at 20–45 meters above the forest floor12,13 as well on shrubs and small trees.2,14 Anolis ortonii is active in sun or shade throughout most of the day.6,11 At night, individuals sleep on twigs, vines, branches, surfaces of tree trunks, and leaves 0.4–3 m above the ground.6,7,13 Amazon Bark Anoles feed on mobile insects occurring on tree trunks: primarily ants and wasps,1,4,11 but also includes leafhoppers,6 orthopterans,1 lepidopterans,4 beetles,6 mantids,15 roaches,4 insect larvae,6 and spiders.1 Amazon Bark Anoles can change their dorsal coloration when disturbed, going from pale gray or tan to dark brown.2 Their coloration resembles a tree bark and is their primary defense mechanism.6 In the presence of a potential predator, individuals may remain motionless or, if on a trunk, move to the opposite side or run up along the trunk.2,6,13 There are records of snakes (Imantodes cenchoa)16 and Western Puffbirds (Nystalus obamai)17 preying upon individuals of A. ortonii. Gravid females contain 1–2 eggs, but the clutch size is one egg.1,2,6 These are deposited among damp leaf-litter, in ant nests, or beneath bark.2 Males defend territories and court females using head bobs and dewlap displays.13
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..18,19 Anolis ortonii is listed in this category given its wide distribution, presence in major protected areas, lack of widespread threats, and presumed large stable populations. This is one of the few Amazonian anoles that seem to have benefited from the conversion of pristine closed-canopy forests to more open forest-edge situations.
Distribution: Anolis ortonii is widely distributed throughout the Amazon basin in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador (Fig. 2), French Guiana, Guyana, Perú, Suriname, and Venezuela.20 The species also occurs in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil.20
Figure 2: Distribution of Anolis ortonii in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map. The star corresponds to the general type locality: Río Napo or Upper Río Marañón.
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.21 The specific epithet ortonii honors American naturalist James Orton (1830–1877), collector of the holotype, in recognition of his contributions towards unveiling the herpetological diversity of the Amazon basin.22
See it in the wild: Amazon Bark Anoles can be located with relative ease along forest-edge situation throughout the species’ area of distribution in Ecuador. Prime locations for locating these lizards are the Yasuní Scientific Station, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Sacha Lodge, Sani Lodge, and the Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve. Individuals, particularly males, are readily visible on the trunks of large trees during daylight hours.
Acknowledgments: This account was published with the support of Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior Ciencia y Tecnología (programa INEDITA; project: Respuestas a la crisis de biodiversidad: la descripción de especies como herramienta de conservación; No 00110378), Programa de las Naciones Unidas (PNUD), and Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ).
Special thanks to Ellen Smith for symbolically adopting the Amazon Bark Anole and helping bring the Reptiles of Ecuador book project to life.
Click here to adopt a species.
Author: Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Photographers: Jose VieirabAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador. and Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Arteaga A (2021) Amazon Bark Anole (Anolis ortonii). 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/XPFK9777
Literature cited:
- Duellman WE (1978) The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador. Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas 65: 1–352.
- Avila-Pires TCS (1995) Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen 299: 1–706.
- 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.
- Duellman WE (2005) Cusco amazónico: the lives of amphibians and reptiles in an Amazonian rainforest. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 433 pp.
- Dixon JR, Soini P (1986) The reptiles of the upper Amazon Basin, Iquitos region, Peru. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, 154 pp.
- Vitt LJ, De la Torre S (1996) A research guide to the lizards of Cuyabeno. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, 165 pp.
- Vitt LJ, Magnusson WE, Avila-Pires TCS, Pimentel Lima A (2008) Guide to the lizards of Reserva Adolpho Ducke, Central Amazonia. Áttema Design Editorial, Manaus, 176 pp.
- Barrio-Amorós CL, Brewer-Carías C (2008) Herpetological results of the 2002 expedition to Sarisarinama, a tepui in Venezuelan Guayana, with the description of five new species. Zootaxa 1942: 1–68. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1942.1.1
- Couto-Ferreira D, Tinôco MS, Oliveira MLT, Browne-Ribeiro HC, Fazolato CP, Silva RM, Barreto GS, Dias MA (2011) Restinga lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) at the Imbassaí Preserve on the northern coast of Bahia, Brazil. Journal of Threatened Taxa 3: 1990–2000. DOI: 10.11609/JoTT.o2800.1990-2000
- Whitworth A, Beirne C (2011) Reptiles of the Yachana Reserve. Global Vision International, Exeter, 130 pp.
- Pinto Aguirre JA (2014) Ecología de una comunidad de lagartijas del género Anolis en el Parque Nacional Yasuní. BSc thesis, Quito, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 52 pp.
- McCracken SF, Forstner MRJ (2014) Herpetofaunal community of a high canopy tank bromeliad (Aechmea zebrina) in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve of Amazonian Ecuador, with comments on the use of “arboreal” in the herpetological literature. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 8: 65–75.
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Hoogmoed MS (1973) Notes on the herpetofauna of Surinam. IV. The lizards and amphisbaenians of Surinam. Biogeographica 4: 1–419.
- Photo by Paulina Romero.
- Martins M, Oliveira ME (1998) Natural history of snakes in forests of the Manaus region, Central Amazonia, Brazil. Herpetological Natural History 6: 78–150.
- Photo by Edwin Munera.
- Reyes-Puig C (2015) Un método integrativo para evaluar el estado de conservación de las especies y su aplicación a los reptiles del Ecuador. MSc thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 73 pp.
- Carrillo E, Aldás A, Altamirano M, Ayala F, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Endara A, Márquez C, Morales M, Nogales F, Salvador P, Torres ML, Valencia J, Villamarín F, Yánez-Muñoz M, Zárate P (2005) Lista roja de los reptiles del Ecuador. Fundación Novum Millenium, Quito, 46 pp.
- Ribeiro-Junior MA (2015) Catalogue of distribution of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from the Brazilian Amazonia. I. Dactyloidae, Hoplocercidae, Iguanidae, Leiosauridae, Polychrotidae, Tropiduridae. Zootaxa 3983: 001–110. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3983.1.1
- Allsopp R (1996) Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 776 pp.
- Cope ED (1868) An examination of the Reptilia and Batrachia obtained by the Orton Expedition to Equador and the Upper Amazon, with notes on other species. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 20: 96–140.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Anolis ortonii in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | 9 de Octubre, 9.5 km W of | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Between Zuñac and 9 de Octubre | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Napo | Baeza | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | Baeza, 44.1 km N of | QCAZ 9712; Ayala-Varela & Carvajal-Campos 2020 |
| Ecuador | Napo | El Chaco | Photo by Diego Piñán |
| Ecuador | Napo | Mt. Sumaco* | Lazell 1969 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Pacto Sumaco | QCAZ 13518; Ayala-Varela & Carvajal-Campos 2020 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Higuerón | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Km 97 | QCAZ 14409; Ayala-Varela & Carvajal-Campos 2020 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | La Alegría | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | La Bonita | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sebundoy | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Reserva La Candelaria | Reyes-puig et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Río Topo | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Tungurahua | Vía Vizcaya | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Isla Vieja | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Colombia | Caquetá | Vereda San Josi | VertNet |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Agua Blanca | Borja-Acosta & Galeano Muñoz 2023 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Alto Río Caquetá | Calderón et al. 2023 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | El Empalme, 7.8 km W of | Borja-Acosta & Galeano Muñoz 2023 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Mocoa | Cárdenas Hincapié & Lozano Bernal 2023 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Puerto Asís | Cárdenas Hincapié & Lozano Bernal 2023 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Cusuime | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Finca Guadalupana | Photo by María José Quiroz |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Limón | Néstor Acosta, pers. comm. |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macas | MHNG 2463.048; collection database |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | San José de Morona | Photo by Fernando Ayala |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sucúa | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Suritiak | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Villa Ashuara | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Jatun Sacha Biological Station | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Misahuallí | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Puerto Napo | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Rancho Isla Canela | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Cotopino | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Río Payamino | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Sinchi Sacha | Photo by Ernesto Arbeláez |
| Ecuador | Napo | Suchipakari Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Napo | Tena | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Napo | Yachana Reserve | Whitworth & Beirne 2011 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | El Coca | MHNG 2591.021; collection database |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Mandaripanga Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Mouth of Río Guataraco | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Napo Cultural Center | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Napo Wildlife Center | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Near lake Jatuncocha | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Puerto Quinche | Torres-Carvajal et al. 2019 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Río Bigal Biological Reserve | Photo by Thierry García |
| Ecuador | Orellana | San José de Payamino | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Shiripuno Lodge | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tiputini Biodiversity Station | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yarina Lodge | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yasuni Scientific Station | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yuca Sur | Photo by Paulina Romero |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Bloque 65 | MZUTI 3727; examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Alto Curaray | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Balsaura | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Bataburo Lodge | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Canelos | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Cobaya Cocha | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Curaray Medio | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Don Tomás | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Juyuintza | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Kallana | MZUTI 5091; examined |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Kurintza | Ortega-Andrade 2010 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Palanda | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pozo Garza-1 | Field notes of Luis Coloma |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Puyo, 3 km S of | KU 127093; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Conambo | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Huiyayacu | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Pindo | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Rutuno | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Shionayacu | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Villano | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sarayacu | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | UNOCAL Base Camp | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Aguas Negras Lodge | This work; Fig. 1 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Bermejo 4 | KU 122046; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Estación PUCE en Cuyabeno | Vitt & De la Torre 1996 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | La Selva Lodge | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Lago Agrio | Duellman 1978 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Limoncocha | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sacha Lodge | Photo by Heike Brieschke |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | San Pablo de Kantesiya | MHNG 2260.061 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sani Lodge's Reserve | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Santa Cecilia | Duellman 1978 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Finca Yantza | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Maycu | Reptiles of Ecuador book |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Valle del Quimi | Betancourt et al. 2018 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Yankuam Lodge | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Perú | Amazonas | Aintami | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Boca del Río Santiago | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Caterpiza | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Huampami | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Kayamas | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | La Poza | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Puerto Galilea | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Quebrada Shinganatza | Almendáriz et al. 2014 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Shaim | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Amazonas | Shiringa | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Loreto | Yarina Cocha | Ribeiro-Júnior 2015 |
| Perú | Loreto | Zona Reservada Güepi | iNaturalist; photo examined |