Hurricanes and Anolis lizards of the Caribbean

Leaf anole (Anolis planiceps) gripping onto a plant. Photo by Renoir Auguste

Hurricanes are a constant threat to all across the Caribbean and they are getting more severe because of climate change. Hurricanes not only have devastating effects on humans, but also animals as well. For example, the white-tailed sabrewing hummingbird was almost extirpated from Tobago after hurricane Flora passed over the island in 1963.

Some animals have shown the propensity to adapt to severe hurricane winds, allowing them to survive. One adept example can be seen in Anolis lizards or Anoles, which can be found on every Caribbean island.

Anoles are mostly small to semi-large lizards. They are found across the Caribbean and Americas and are important components of ecosystems, feeding on a variety of insects, and are food to a variety of birds and other animals. They are considered ideal organisms for studying biology, ecology, and adaptation (among other fields).

A study by Donihue et al. 2020 showed that Anoles have found a way to adapt to strong hurricane winds: by growing larger toepads! These toepads allow the small lizards to grip onto vegetation better, thus allowing them to not be blown away by strong winds. Not only are these lizards with larger toepads surviving hurricanes, for example hurricane Irma and Maria from 2017, their offspring are being born with large toepads as well (compared to other anoles not exposed to hurricanes).

It's amazing what we can learn from animals, such as anoles, about adaptation to global events. No doubt we can learn more from them, which hopefully will allow us to appreciate them more and improve our management of biodiversity conservation.

There are at least 8 types of Anoles in Trinidad and Tobago. To learn more about these Anoles found in T&T, do get yourself a copy of the field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago, available from the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club.