Anoles and their unique underwater breathing technique

Amazing nature! Some lizards have amazing abilities, which have long been studied by researchers. They manage to remain submerged for a very long time and can breathe thanks to a very interesting mechanism

We’ve all seen the cartoon characters jump into the water and pull some magic to create an air bubble to continue breathing in. While that was disappointment for divers, it did seem like pure fantasy that was there in the first place-until nature came along with its genius version.

Meet aquatic Anole lizards

The semi-aquatic anole lizard has now left the researchers dazed with a similar sort of underwater breathing trick-incredible capability of these reptiles to be submerged for such a long time. This astonishing fact had been corroborated by several studies so far, leaving scientists quite impressed.

Anole lizards originate from tropical areas of the Americas and usually come from riverside areas. This location itself has already been full of predators, which in turn prompted them to devise an excellent survival strategy.

A survival strategy like no other

This unusual pattern of breathing helps them in increasing the possibility of their escape from the danger zone. The anole lizard can jump into the water to save itself from the predators for a period of up to 18 minutes. Now, how would they be able to breathe for such a long time?

But researchers have uncovered their secret: these lizards create a bubble around their nostrils. Since their skin is hydrophobic in nature, it sticks to their head, becoming a little reservoir of air. They rebreathe that air in the bubble, effectively making them nature’s own scuba divers.

Researchers at the University of Toronto learned years ago that the trait belongs to six species of Anoles, an attribute shared by beetles adapted to living underwater. But lizards holding their breath underwater?

“Rebreathing was never considered a possible mechanism for underwater respiration in vertebrates,” said Luke Mahler, professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto.

A recent study published in Biology Letters brought attention back to this peculiar respiratory cycle of the Costa Rican Anole lizards in an attempt to answer the many questions experts had and to further know these creatures.

Bio-innovation and the future

According to scientists, comprehension of respiratory abilities in anole lizards may provide a key to major bio-innovations in many fields. Indeed, nature is an endless surprise.