Our class recently explored the Ion Swamp trail located in the Francis Marion Forest. As we made our way into the forest everyone began to split into many different directions in pursuit of herps. Many people had made it their goal to find a snake. I on the other hand, was perfectly fine finding any sort of reptile or amphibian. After searching high and low, I was unfortunately unable to find any herps. Even though I was unable to find any on my own, I luckily got to see all of the herps found by others. A Carolina anole, Anolis carolinesis, was caught about 6 feet off the trail near a log. These lizards have granular scales, long tails and are mostly arboreal. Carolina anoles are very common throughout the Southeast and are often spotted around our area, but I found this specimen to be extremely interesting. I was able to watch it change color from dark brown to light green. (The color change can be seen in the pictures. It is especially visible on the head and limbs.) This was something that I had never seen a Carolina anole do. These lizards change color for many reasons, mostly due to temperature and stress level. After examining the lizard futher, it was determined that it was an adult female due to its relatively small size, about 4 to 5 inches, and its lack of a dewlap. Other observed features included the gray and white splotches on the lizard. These markings indicated that it was molting, or shedding. After everyone viewed the lizard, it was released near its capture spot. Overall, it was a successful day in the forest. I was vary happy to have witnessed something that I never had before.
(Lauren Jindracek, SC)
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