Also, I almost forgot to mention that I saw an indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) running across the road. It looked a bit like a reddish-brown squirrel with a scraggly tail. Apparently the mongoose was introduced to the island in 1888, and since then it has been implicated in the demise of various local species of animal.

 

While some individuals sported the “typical” Anolis pogus coloration, others varied wildly. The trademark blue around the eye was often not present at all. In some individuals, there was a clearly defined, white dorsal stripe. In others, there were dark bands across the back. The overall color varied from the typical tan to dark gray. Often, this was combined with a dark red on the top of the head. Yellow patches on the sides of the chest were also common. In males preparing to fight over territory, two dark spots appeared behind the eye.

These wide variations were seen in a myriad of combinations, and individuals could be found at varying points in between. From watching a pair of males fighting, it seemed that these color variations were likely to be temporary, related to the emotional states of the lizards and potentially as camouflage as well.