Reptiles are some of the Earth’s oldest extant creatures, with evidence of their emergence dating back to as much as 340 million years ago. While some are repulsed by reptiles, a class that includes snakes, lizards, turtles, and even dinosaurs, others find them endlessly fascinating, and we here at SunnyScope are definitely part of the latter camp!
One of the features of reptiles that makes them so interesting is their ability to adapt to virtually any circumstance. While the dinosaurs may have gone extinct, thousands of reptile species still roam the Earth millions of years later, with new species being discovered all the time. And of those that still remain on our planet, one of our favorites is able to perform a feat that defies everything we know about physics: it can walk on water.
Basilisk Lizard Facts
The basilisk lizard is also known in parts of the world as the Jesus lizard for its uncanny ability to run on the surface of water. Of course, this seemingly supernatural gift has a scientific explanation, and it only lasts for so long before the basilisk lizard sinks like the rest of us. The basilisk’s hind legs are equipped with large feet that have flaps of skin between each toe which allow it to skim the surface of the water when running at a full sprint, much in the way you can skip a broad, flat rock across a pond.
Eventually, its weight triumphs over its momentum, causing it to sink and subsequently swim the rest of the way. The basilisk engages in this behavior as a means of escaping predators, but although it is highly effective for dodging hungry predators on land, the basilisk doesn’t have long in the water before aquatic predators are on its trail as well. Despite these challenges, the basilisk can be found widely throughout Central and northwestern South America, ranging from sea level to as high as 1,200 meters.
Besides being able to walk on water, some other cool basilisk lizard facts are that it can run up to 7 mph on the surface of the water, hold its breath for up to 30 minutes underwater, and can remain still for hours at a time to avoid predators. Check out this video showing the miracle of the basilisk lizard in action.
Featured Image from Kyaw Tun/Unsplash
