Researchers have determined a certain species of lizard can breathe underwater by producing a particular kind of bubble over its nostrils.
According to Lindsey Swierk, an assistant professor at Binghamton University who studies a semi-aquatic lizard called a water anoles that’s found in southern Costa Rica:
“We know that they can stay underwater for a really long time. We also know that they’re pulling oxygen from this bubble of air. We didn’t know whether there was actually any functional role for this bubble in respiration. Is it something that lizards do that is just a side effect of their skin’s properties or a respiratory reflex, or is this bubble actually allowing them to stay underwater longer than they would, say, without a bubble?”
Swierk did an experiment where bubbles weren’t allowed to form on a group of lizards. Those lizards were able to stay underwater for shorter periods compared to lizards that produced the bubble:
“This is really significant because this is the first experiment that truly shows adaptive significance of bubbles. Rebreathing bubbles allow lizards to stay underwater longer. Before, we suspected it – we saw a pattern – but we didn’t actually test if it served a functional role.”
You can learn more about Swierk’s work at binghamton.edu or check out the video below.
(Featured Image credit: Lindsey Swierk/Binghamton University)
