Lizards Use Air Bubbles to Breathe Underwater and Evade Predators

New research confirms that water anoles utilize self-made bubbles to extend their underwater stay, providing a crucial survival mechanism.

Water anoles, found in Costa Rica, can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes using air bubbles over their nostrils.
The bubbles allow the lizards to rebreath previously exhaled air, extending their dive times by an average of 32%.
Researchers applied an emollient to prevent bubble formation, confirming the bubbles' role in respiration.
The study is the first to experimentally demonstrate the adaptive significance of rebreathing bubbles in vertebrates.
Future research will explore whether these bubbles function as physical gills, similar to mechanisms used by some insects.