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Scuba Diving Lizards Trap Air Bubbles to Breathe Underwater

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image created by Steve Burgess with chatGPT 4o

image created by Steve Burgess with chatGPT 4o

Scuba Lizards

Scuba diving lizards nose breath underwater. Researchers studied how Anolis aquaticus trap air bubbles over their nostrils to evade predators.

  • Natural dives last 20+ minutes

  • Study applied moisturizer to prevent bubbles

  • No bubble = 32% shorter dives

A. aquaticus joins the small group of known animals to intentionally bring oxygen on dives (like diving bell spiders and humans). Next up: determining if the bubbles pull in oxygen from water. And if lizards are PADI eligible.

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