Anoles are streamlined with long tails, long legs and toes, and a narrow head. It is primarily bright green with a pale belly.
Males are slightly larger than the females, with a larger head, a pink throat flap, or dewlap, that expands when displaying, and two enlarged post-anal glands.
It has a small dorsal crest immediately behind the head that is only visible during threat displays. Even though they're called 'Green Anoles,' their coloring ranges from shades of brown to green or grey. Their coloring is dependent on many factors, it is most often dependent upon temperature and excitation, such as increased activity or competition.
Darker brown and black colors typically signal cold or stressed conditions. Sexual Dimorphism. Physical differences also are common between males and females. Females often have a line that runs along their dorsal surface, from their neck down to their back, ending before their tail begins. Most males have dewlaps that extend from the ventral side underside of their neck.
Dewlaps are rarely seen in females. The dewlap is commonly pinkish in color and thought to be used by males to increase visibility as they court females. Displaying the dewlap may also represent a competitive status between males; in these cases, dewlap displays are usually related to territory boundary disputes.
