But what is the lizard in this photo playing at? Has he rediscovered the art of glass blowing? Does he suffer from poor circulation and is experimenting with a cupping treatment? Obviously not. But the truth is no less surprising. The air bubble – because that’s what it is – in his nose offers him an original source of breathing, enough to stay underwater for more than twenty minutes.
In an article published on Tuesday, September 17 in the magazine Biology LettersBiologist Lindsey Swierk of the State University of New York details both the mechanism and the contribution of this oxygen bottle. Aquatic anole They take advantage of the hydrophobic nature of their skin, which allows a thin film of air to form between the water and the surface of the body. Small bubbles then join the air exhaled by the animal to form this large bubble.
It was while following these small Latin American lizards in Costa Rica ten years ago that the researcher and two of her colleagues first observed the phenomenon. Given its nature, both original and repeated, chance seemed an impossible explanation. “We hypothesized that this allowed them to stay underwater longer.”explains. The researchers attempted to provide evidence for this.
diving operation
For example, they were able to demonstrate that, in the bubble, the air pressure decreased over time during the same dive, “sign that anoles used air to breathe”But was it effective? In other words, did the bubble allow them to stay underwater longer?
Before continuing, Lindsey Swierk reminds us that this protection technique is only a plan C for her. “Anoles have excellent camouflage skills and their first line of defense is to not move.”The researcher says. Birds, snakes and other large lizards often pass by without seeing them. If that fails, plan B is activated: escape. The smallest crack offers them protection. But if this second strategy also fails, they switch to operation diving.
Their hydrophobic skin takes care of the rest to form the famous nasal oxygen bottle. Verifying the paper involved a comparison between two groups of lizards, with or without an air bubble. Lindsey Swierk covered the skin of some of them with an emollient product. As expected, the people treated in this way saw a reduction in the number of small bubbles formed on the skin and, above all, their autonomy time under water decreased by 32%.
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