Sandfish Lizard Sand Swimming: How It Moves Underground
On the surface of a North African dune, a small golden skink pauses for an instant. Then it lowers its wedge-shaped head into the loose sand, drives forward, and disappears. …
Reptiles
Thorny Devil Water Transport: How Its Skin Channels Water
Rain has darkened a patch of red Australian desert sand. A thorny devil moves across the wet surface, and liquid touching its body disappears into microscopic spaces associated with its …
How Marine Iguanas Remove Excess Salt From Their Bodies
A marine iguana emerging from the Pacific can look as though it has just sneezed a cloud of seawater from its nose. Moments later, pale crystals may begin accumulating around …
How Semi-Aquatic Anoles Breathe Underwater Using a Rebreathing Bubble
A small tropical lizard dives beneath the surface of a stream. Instead of immediately swimming back toward air, it settles underwater. Then something unusual appears around its snout: a silvery …