Anolidae

Anolidae, commonly called anoles and known until recently by the name Dactyloidae, is a family of more than 425 species of lizards in eight genera, including the familiar Anolis. They range from the southeastern United States to Paraguay, across Central America, South America, the Caribbean islands and some offshore Pacific islands, with the greatest number of species found in Colombia, Cuba and Hispaniola. Anoles are small to fairly large lizards, typically green or brownish, many able to change color, and most males display a brightly colored throat fan called a dewlap. They have specialized toe pads with adhesive lamellae that let them climb almost any surface, are fiercely territorial, hunt insects and other small animals by day, and can voluntarily detach their tails to escape predators.