A deformed hind limb of an invasive free-living brown anole (Anolis sagrei Duméril & Bibron, 1837) from Hualien City, Taiwan

Abstract

On the 15th of March, 2009, a male brown anole (Anolis sagrei) was collected by hand from a coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) plantation in Chisintang, Hualien County, eastern Taiwan. During the examination of the lizard, it was found that it appeared to have a fifth foot protruding from the right hind tibia. The additional foot had only 4 toes contained a bone that was fused to the tibia near the knee. We hypothesize that this deformity is due to a genetic determining factor, and far as can be determined, this appears to be the first reported instance of such a deformity in A. sagrei from Taiwan.