Aug 28 2008
When a Lizard Hits the Fan
Dear Darwin,
Today I nearly got hit in the face by a flying half of lizard. Actually, the second half came pretty close as well. I was sitting at an outdoor patio table I sometimes use as my morning desk, weather permitting. I turned on the fan I keep out there, and I heard a fwap! That’s when the two halves of a lizard went sailing past my nose.
Darwin, my question is this: Was it wrong of me to be relieved that the creature in question was Cuban brown anole, and not my more favorite six-lined racerunner (as depicted above)? The brown anole is a non-native species. And they are all over the place! My dog separates one from its tail almost every day. And the damn tails keep twitching for up to twenty seconds later.
Did the brown anole deserve to die? And does my being biased in my lizard-appreciation make me less of scientist?
Signed,
Momentarily Grossed-Out in Florida
