Intellectually Curious

The Lazarus Lizard: Rediscovering Anolis levis After 150 Years


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We trace the 1876 description of Anolis levis by Edward Drinker Cope, its baffling disappearance, and the January 2026 Zootaxa rediscovery in Peru’s Huallaga River Valley. Explore that lizard’s bizarre rudimentary rostral appendage, what its comeback teaches us about the giant anoles of the dactyloa clade, and why hidden biodiversity persists under the rainforest canopy. Plus reflections on conservation, discovery, and the tools that help science see what’s been hiding in plain sight.


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Intellectually CuriousBy Mike Breault