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Anole lizards vision: the science and the numbers

Anolis cristatellus · Reptiles: all the numbers

The anole lizards has four colour channels, including ultraviolet (365, 450, 500 and 569 nm).[1] The anole lizards stops seeing flicker at 64.2 Hz, against 60 Hz for people.[23][24]

See it on your photoBack to How does the anole lizards (Anolis cristatellus) see?
  • 4colour receptor classesMeasured
  • 64.2hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The anole lizards (Anolis cristatellus) is a reptile. Its eyes belong to the vision type Diurnal reptile tetrachromat: four cone types including ultraviolet, coloured oil droplets and one or more foveas. Measured in this species: colour, night vision and motion (flicker fusion). Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the anole lizards sees: colour receptors

Anole lizards colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmAnole lizards: 4 receptor peaks at 365, 450, 500, 569 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Anole lizards: 365, 450, 500, 569 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has 4 colour receptor classes, including ultraviolet; people have 3.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 64.2 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks about the same.[25][23]
  • Activity pattern: diurnal.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the anole lizards (Anolis cristatellus) (Anolis cristatellus), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
4 receptor classes: 365 nm (UVS), 450 nm (SWS (blue)), 500 nm (MWS (green)), 569 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured[1]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[1][2][3][4]
Ultraviolet
yes: at least one receptor peaks in the ultraviolet		Measured
SharpnessNo value in the catalogue.Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[5][6]
Field of viewNo value in the catalogue.Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[7][8]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[9]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[9]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[7][8]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
2
mode of species-v1 relatives in family Dactyloidae: Anolis carolinensis
Estimated[10]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[11]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[11]
Fovea type
central fovea, temporal		Estimated[10]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 4 rows (of 4 rows): Diurnal; diurnal
Measured (not re-verified)[12][1][13][14]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[12][15][16][1][17][18][19][14]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[20][21]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[22]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[12][15][16][1][17][18][19][14]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[12][1][13][14]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
64.2 Hz
median of 2 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [58.5, 70.0])
Measured[23][24]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[25][23]

All reptiles side by side: Reptiles: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Longcore 2023
  2. Kirwan
  3. Müller et al. 2009
  4. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  5. Kirk et al. 2004
  6. Veilleux et al. 2014
  7. Heesy 2004
  8. Heffner et al. 1992
  9. Campbell & Green 1965
  10. Fleishman et al. 1988 / Makaretz & Levine 1980
  11. Kopania et al. 2025
  12. Anderson et al. 2017
  13. Meiri 2024. SquamBase: a database of…
  14. Moura et al. 2024
  15. Borges et al. 2018
  16. Wilman et al. 2014
  17. Maor et al. 2017
  18. Jones et al. 2009
  19. Schmitz et al. 2011
  20. Banks et al. 2015
  21. Cervino et al. 2021
  22. Guareschi et al. 2025
  23. Inger et al. 2014
  24. Lafitte et al. 2022
  25. Healy et al. 2013

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.