Q: What is the purpose for the green anole's expanding throat sack? -- Bonita
A: It's a common sight: the weird little push-up, followed by a brightly colored display of throat skin.
Many reptile species, not just green anoles, have a throat fan, or dewlap, which can be expanded. A lizard can expand the throat fan for a variety of reasons, according to a field guide we have, including courtship but also to threaten enemies and to simply announce what kind of lizard it is.
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