page_title: Dactyloidae
section_title: Appearance and behavior
hierarchical_section_title: Dactyloidae / Appearance and behavior
caption_attribution_description: English: Allisons anole on tree
context_page_description: Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfamily, Dactyloinae, of the family Iguanidae. In the past they were included in the family Polychrotidae together with Polychrus, but the latter genus is not closely related to the true anoles.
  Anoles are small to fairly large lizards, typically green or brownish, but their color varies depending on species and many can also change it. In most species at least the male has a dewlap, an often brightly colored flap of skin that extends from the throat/neck and is used in displays. Anoles share several characteristics with geckos, including details of the foot structure and the ability to voluntarily break off the tail, but they are only very distantly related, anoles being part of Iguania.
  Anoles are active during the day and feed mostly on small animals such as insects, but some will also take fruits, flowers, and nectar. They are fiercely territorial. After mating, the female lays an egg; in many species she may do so every few days or weeks.
context_section_description: Anoles vary in size. Males generally reach a larger size than females, but in a few species it is the other way around. Adults of most anoles are between 4 and 8 cm (1.5–3 in) in snout-to-vent length, and between 10 and 20 cm (4–8 in) in total length, including the tail. In the smallest, the five-striped grass anole, the snout-to-vent length is about 3 and 3.5 cm (1.2 and 1.4 in) in females and males respectively, but it is a relatively long-tailed species. There are several large species that are more than 10 cm (4 in) in snout-to-vent length. Males of the largest, the knight anole, reach up to about 19 cm (7.5 in) in snout-to-vent length, 51 cm (20 in) in total length, and 137 g (5 oz) in weight. There are both robust and gracile species, and the head shape varies from relatively broad to elongate.
  The tail of anoles varies, but mostly it is longer than the snout-to-vent length. Depending on exact species it can range from slightly shorter to about three times the snout-to-vent. The Caribbean twig ecomorph anoles, proboscis anole and "Phenacosaurus" anoles have a prehensile tail. Semi-aquatic anoles tend to have relatively tall, vertically flattened tails that aid in swimming.
  Underneath an anole's toes are pads that have several to a dozen flaps of skin (adhesive lamellae) going horizontally and covered in microscopic hairlike protrusions (setae) that allow them to cling to many different surfaces, similar to but not quite as efficient as a gecko. Despite this similarity, they are very distantly related and the adaptions are the result of convergent evolution in the two groups. The extent of these structures and clinging ability varies, being more developed in anole species that live high in the tree canopy than ones living at lower levels. In one extreme are anoles that easily can run up windows. In the opposite end of the spectrum is the bulky anole of arid coastal Venezuela and adjacent Colombia, which is the only species completely lacking the specialized toe pad structures. The relative length of the limbs vary, mainly between different species, but to some extent also between different populations of a single species. This depends on things like the preferred perch size and whether there are ground-living predators in a habitat.
  Despite having relatively small eyes, their primary sense is sight, which is excellent and in color. Their pupils are round or nearly round. The Guantanamo anole and Cuban cave anole have a transparent "window" in their lower eyelid, allowing them to see even with closed eyes, but why they have this adaption is unclear. Anoles have a good directional hearing, which is able to detect frequencies between 1000 and 7000 Hz and relatively low intensity sounds like the click of a camera.
  Anoles are diurnal—active during the daytime—but can also be active during bright moonlit nights and may forage near artificial lights. Many species frequently bask in the sun to increase their temperature, but others are shade-living and do not.
caption: A male Allison's anole (female all green) showing the long tail and climbing ability typical of anoles
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