Anolis oculatus
| Anolis oculatus | |
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| A male Dominican anole in its typical perching position. North Caribbean ecotype (A. o. cabritensis). Coulibistrie, Dominica. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Polychrotidae |
| Genus: | Anolis |
| Species: | A. oculatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Anolis oculatus (Cope, 1879) |
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| Endemic to Dominica in the Lesser Antilles, a chain of islands in the Caribbean. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Anolis alliaceus Cope, 1864 |
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Anolis alliaceus Cope, 1864
Xiphosurus oculatus Cope, 1879
Anolis oculatus - Garman, 1888
Ctenonotus oculatus – Schwartz and Henderson, 1988
Anolis oculatus, the Dominican anole or eyed anole, is a species of anole lizard. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Dominica, where it is found in most environments. It is distributed in four main population groups on the island, which were initially described as subspecies and now are recognized as ecotypes. It has a very diverse morphology between these populations, with a ground color that ranges from pale tan or yellow to deep green or brown. It also has patterned markings that range from light-colored speckling to complex marbled patterns, and some populations also have large black-ringed "eye" spots on their flanks. This diversity is the product of adaptation to different ecological conditions found within Dominica, which has made it the subject of numerous studies.
The Dominican anole spends much of the time in trees but mainly hunts on the ground. Insects make up the bulk of its prey, with soft-bodied invertebrates and small vertebrates hunted less frequently. Long-living and late maturing for anoles, the Dominican anole can usually breed from around two to three months of age. Females lay eggs, and breeding can occur at any time of year. Clutches number one or sometimes two eggs and are laid under rocks or leaves on the ground. Although presently widespread and common on Dominica, it faces competition from the Puerto Rican crested anole, an invasive species which has begun to supplant it in part of its range.
The Dominican anole is locally known as the zandoli, or tree lizard. The indigenous Caribs considered its presence in their home to be a sign of "good spirits".
American paleontologist and herpetologist Edward Drinker Cope first gave a cursory description of the species, which he named Anolis alliaceus, on the basis of 16 specimens owned by the British Museum that lacked locality data. He later separately described Xiphosurus oculatus in 1879, from 13 specimens in the U.S. National Museum (now the Smithsonian); the name oculatus (Latin, "eyed") refers to its distinctive lateral spots. The two taxa were finally described as one species, Anolis oculatus, in 1888, by the German-British zoologist Albert Günther.
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