A green Smallwood's anole resting on a log. — Photo: Zyada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Smallwood's Anole

Anolis smallwoodi

A big green Cuban tree lizard with blue spots that flashes a colorful throat fan to look bigger.

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About the Smallwood's Anole

Smallwood's anoles average 8 to 9 inches long; the biggest ever recorded was 12 inches. They are green with blue spots and live in forests, mangroves and coffee farms of eastern Cuba. They climb through trees hunting insects, grubs and tree frogs, and they drink by licking water off leaves.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Anolis smallwoodi^[1]
Size: Usually 8 to 9 inches; up to 12 inches.^[1]
Lifespan: 8 to 12 years in human care.^[1]
Diet: Insects, grubs and tree frogs.^[1]
Habitat: Forests, rainforests, mangroves and coffee plantations.^[1]
Where it lives: Eastern Cuba.^[1]
Group life: Mostly alone except breeding pairs.^[1]
Babies: One egg at a time, hatching after 54 to 69 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).^[2]

Fun facts

Males flash a colorful throat flap called a dewlap.^[1]
They drink by licking water off leaves.^[1]
Females dig egg holes with their snouts.^[1]

Vocabulary

dewlap: A flap of skin under the chin that some lizards can spread out.
endemic: Found naturally in only one place.
arboreal: Living mostly in trees.
cold-blooded: Having a body temperature that changes with the surroundings; also called ectothermic.
near threatened: A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Smallwood's anole.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/smallwoods-anole (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Anolis smallwoodi (Smallwood's Anole).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/75086768/75171871 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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