Scuba lizards: Some Anolis lizards can rebreathe underwater

Humans can only breathe underwater with technology. People invented scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) so they could explore the underwater world.

Now scientists know that long before humans invented a way to breathe underwater, lizards did it first.

*Anolis aquaticus* from Costa Rica. Image by Lindsey Swierk.

In tropical streams in Central and South America, some species of Anolis lizards dive underwater when threatened.

They can remain underwater by surrounding themselves with a pocket of air that allows them to rebreathe it for up to 18 minutes.

This amazing video shows anoles rebreathing underwater:

Citation:

Boccia, C. K., Swierk, L., Ayala-Varela, F. P., Boccia, J., Borges, I. L., Estupiñán, C. A., … Mahler, D. L. (2021). Repeated evolution of underwater rebreathing in diving Anolis lizards. Current Biology. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.040