A lizard with its own breathing bubble

Water anoles can dive in tropical streams and hide from predators while breathing through a bubble on the nose. Their water-repellent skin holds air: they exhale into the bubble, then breathe that air back in, repeating the cycle underwater. Researchers tested whether the bubble helps. Anoles able to rebreathe normally stayed submerged an average of 32% longer than lizards whose bubble formation was impaired, giving them more time underwater to hide.

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