In a comparative study of forebrain mechanisms of species-typical behavior, unilateral lesions were placed in the subpallial telencephalon of male green anolis lizards (Anolis carolinsis), in which there is an almost complete decussation of the optic nerve. Responses to a conspecific male antagonist in a territorial confrontation were then tested when the subject's vision was limited to an eye leading to either the normal or lesioned hemisphere. In lizards with lesions involving the paleostriatum and lateral forebrain bundle, there was an elimination of or marked deficit in the performance of the challenge display while signature displays and measures of general activity were not significantly affected. Lesions predominantly in anterior or posterior dorsal ventricular ridge resulted in no significant deficit in any behavioral measure.