Origin and establishment of the introduced Cuban Blue Anole, Anolis allisoni, in Florida

Abstract

In the state of Florida, USA, lizards of the genus Anolis are well represented with at least nine established non-native species and a single native species, A. carolinensis. The most recently introduced species is A. allisoni, a close relative to both the native A. carolinensis and one of the introduced species (A. porcatus). Anolis allisoni is thought to have been present in two locations in Florida since at least 2013 based on photographic evidence. Here, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from these three closely related Anolis species to infer the most likely region of origin in the native range and confirm the establishment of the recent invader in Tampa, Florida. We found a single haplotype belonging to A. allisoni, which was closely related to native sequences from east-central Cuba. The most likely geographic origin is a tourist destination in the province of Sancti Spiritus, suggesting the potential for human-mediated introduction of A. allisoni to Florida. Given the evidence of hybridization within the carolinensis subgroup, the presence and establishment of the phylogenetically related and ecomorphologically similar A. allisoni may create novel opportunities for interspecific genetic exchange.