Smallwood's Anole

A small, slender anole typically measuring 4–5.5 inches (10–14 cm) in total length. Body is gracile with a moderately long tail and relatively short limbs. Dorsal coloration is highly variable, ranging from gray, brown, olive, or green to nearly black, often with a vertebral stripe or faint longitudinal lines. Many individuals display a distinctive pale lateral stripe running from the eye region posteriorly along the body. The head is narrow and pointed. Dorsal surfaces are covered with small, keeled scales arranged in regular rows. A characteristic feature is the presence of a small to moderate-sized dewlap (throat fan) that is typically yellow to orange-red in breeding males, used in territorial and courtship displays. Ventral surface is white to cream, occasionally with faint mottling. Females tend toward duller coloration than males and possess a smaller, less conspicuous dewlap. This cryptic species is primarily arboreal and terrestrial, inhabiting humid forests, shaded tropical woodlands, and dense vegetation near the ground. It feeds on small arthropods including insects, spiders, and other invertebrates, which are actively foraged for among leaf litter, low vegetation, and on tree trunks and branches.