Anolis Lizard

Anolis Lizard, a photo by sachinvijayan on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Extremely common throughout Costa Rica, the anolis lizard makes up for in abundance what it lacks in size. Adults range from 30 to 60 cm in body length and males have a brightly colored flap of skin under their throat called a dewlap. Dewlaps are important for territorial and mating displays and are often shades of orange and yellow. Males display them by extending a bone under the chin to which the flap is attached, like a flag. The lizards are almost everywhere along forest trails where they perch at the base of trees and dart into the leaf litter to catch invertebrates. Body coloration is variable, mostly cryptic brown, though some females have white dorsal stripes or a diamond pattern. Look closely after disturbing the leaf‐litter while walking the trails at Corcovado, and it is easy to spot these small, energetic lizards.