page_title: Dactyloidae
section_title: Conservation
hierarchical_section_title: Dactyloidae / Relationship with humans / Conservation
caption_attribution_description: English: Blue Anole on Isla Gorgona, Colombia. Endemic to the island.
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: The willingness of many anoles of living close to humans in heavily altered habitats have made them common. Some anoles can occur in very high densities, as illustrated by the Saint Vincent bush, Puerto Rican bush and spotted anoles where it has been estimated that there locally are almost 28,000 individuals per hectare (11,500 per acre) in the first species and at least 20,000–21,000 per hectare (8,000–8,500 per acre) in the last two. However, in most species the density is lower and in rare anoles it is can be well below 100 individuals per hectare (40 per acre). Some are restricted to specific habitats such as primary rainforest, making them more vulnerable. In a review in 2017, it was found that more than 50 anole species had a known total range that covered 100 km² (40 sq mi) or less around their type locality. As of April 2018, only 90 anoles, equalling less than one-quarter of the total number of recognized species, had been rated by the IUCN. Most of these are either least concern (not threatened) or data deficient (limited available data prevents an assessment), but 7 are considered vulnerable, 14 endangered and 1 critically endangered. Typical threats to these are habitat loss from both humans and extreme weather, or competition/predation by introduced species. For example, the Finca Ceres anole, a critically endangered species only known from a single unprotected location in Matanzas Province, Cuba, has suffered habitat loss both due to hurricanes and expanding agricultural land. A. amplisquamosus, an endangered species only known from highland forest in the Cusuco National Park region of Honduras, was common in the early 2000s, but by 2006 it had experienced a drastic decline and was only infrequently encountered. A clear explanation for this is lacking, although it may be related to habitat loss due to human development and agriculture. Similarly, A. landestoyi, which only was described in 2016 and has not been rated by the IUCN, is restricted to the Loma Charco Azul reserve in Hispaniola, but it is seriously threatened by continuing illegal habitat destruction by slash-and-burn agriculture, livestock grazing and production of wood charcoal. Another example of a species that has not been rated by the IUCN is the strikingly colored blue anole from Colombia's Gorgona Island. It is threatened from deforestation and predation by the introduced western basilisks. Certain highly localized species can be threatened by other anoles. The Cook's anole, found only in southwestern Puerto Rico and considered endangered by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, faces habitat loss and fragmentation from human development, predation by introduced species (especially cats and rats) and direct competition from a more widespread native, the Puerto Rican crested anole. The Puerto Rican crested anole has also been introduced to Dominica where it locally is outcompeting the endemic Dominican anole, having already largely displaced the South Caribbean ecotype (traditionally subspecies Anolis o. oculatus), which possibly may require a captive breeding program to ensure its survival.
  Nevertheless, anoles overall do not appear to have experienced the widespread extinctions and extirpations prevalent among larger Caribbean reptiles. The Culebra Island giant anole is the only anole considered possibly extinct in recent history (other extinct anoles are prehistoric and only known from fossil remains that are millions of years old). Locals reported sighting of the Culebra Island giant anole as recent as the 1980s, but this likely involved misidentifications of young green iguanas. Others, at least the Morne Constant anole, do not grow as large today as they once did.
  Species restricted to a specific habitat in relatively remote regions, infrequently visited by biologists looking for reptiles, are often virtually unknown and rarely recorded. In a review in 2017, it was found that 15 anole species only were known from their holotype. These may truly be rare and seriously threatened, as the proboscis anole, a spe
caption: The blue anole is threatened by habitat loss and the introduced western basilisk[199]
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