Fri Sep 20 07:00:59 UTC 2024: ## Tiny Lizards Breathe Underwater with Bubble Trick
**Binghamton, NY** – A tiny lizard found in the rainforests of Costa Rica has a unique trick up its sleeve: it breathes underwater by creating a bubble over its nostrils. The water anole, a semi-aquatic lizard no bigger than a pencil, uses this technique to escape predators and stay submerged for up to 15 minutes.
“Water anoles are like the chicken nuggets of the forest,” says Lindsey Swierk, an assistant research professor at Binghamton University and lead author of a new study published in the Royal Society journal. “They are preyed upon by so many different animals.”
The study reveals the lizard’s clever strategy: when diving, the water anole exhales a bubble of air, which adheres to its skin due to specific properties. This bubble acts as a temporary air supply, allowing the lizard to rebreathe underwater. The bubble disappears when the anole inhales, and the process repeats.
To confirm the bubble’s importance, researchers coated some anoles with an emollient, preventing bubble formation. These treated lizards stayed underwater 32% less time than their untreated counterparts.
“It’s a fascinating fundamental adaptation,” says Swierk.
This discovery has sparked further questions, such as whether the anoles face underwater predators themselves.
“When these lizards dive to avoid land predators, do they become fish food?” asks Earyn McGee, a herpetologist known for her #FindThatLizard social media campaign.
Swierk aims to continue studying the anole’s rebreathing technique. “Fundamental science is so important because it often leads to new discoveries that can impact humans, changing how we use materials and engineer products,” she explains.
First Piper 