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Scuba Lizard
COURTESY OF DR. LINDSEY SWIERK
AIR TANK? Researchers suspect that small pockets of air trapped all around the lizard’s body feed this bubble over its nose with oxygen.
A lizard called a water anole has an amazing skill: It can stay underwater for more than 15 minutes at a time. Researchers suspect the reptile breathes air from a bubble around its nose, like a diver would from a scuba tank.
Lindsey Swierk, a biologist at Binghamton University in New York, first documented the anole’s extraordinary ability. She filmed the lizard resting underwater and saw a bubble on its head inflate and deflate as it breathed in and out.
“Diving underwater and remaining there for a long time is an antipredator strategy for water anoles,” says Swierk. “These lizards aren’t particularly speedy, so hiding underwater is a very effective option.”
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