GENERAL STUFF ABOUT BEHAVIOR HERE

Social Structure:

Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) have an interesting social structure. They are not really social animals except during the spring mating season. They live in loose communities dominated by a single male and multiple females. The male has a territory that he defends vigorously and within that territory are the separate territories of 2-6 females. The females establish a “pecking order” with the most dominant getting the best territory in terms of natural resources and food. However, all of the females are subordinate to the male.

The male Anole spends most of his time patrolling his established territory, displaying his dewlap and head-bobbing every foot or so to make sure that any other Anoles in the area (both male and female) will see how big and tough he appears. Except during mating season, even the females will hide from him as soon as he appears on his rounds.

Male Anoles do have one weakness. Although they have a “harem” of females, they prefer non-resident or “novel” females to the ones living in his territory. So, whenever a female that has reached sexual maturity wanders into a male’s territory, mating season has commenced for him regardless of the time of year.