You will think your eyes are deceiving you when you watch this incredible footage of a lizard running across the surface of the water. This is not an AI-generated image—basilisk lizards can actually do this. The animal in the clip is a basilisk lizard, one of the very few animals that can walk on water. Other animals capable of this include a few small-bodied invertebrates, some very small anolis lizards, and baby green iguanas. However, when it comes to basilisks, even the adults can run on water. Read on to find out how.
Escaping via Water
Common basilisks spend most of their time foraging, basking, and resting along waterways. They live on the Pacific slope of Central and northern South America from southwestern Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia. At night, they sleep in trees near the water. They are hunted by birds of prey, opossums, and large snakes. When faced with such formidable enemies, the element of surprise is very useful! The predator would expect the basilisk to race along the ground or climb a tree to evade capture, but instead, they head for the water. As reptiles, they need to breathe air and cannot spend much time underwater. While they can swim, running on water is their preferred means of escape.
The Jesus Christ Lizard
Basilisk lizards live near water.
©fernandoul/Shutterstock.com
This creature’s ability to run on water has earned it the title ‘Jesus Christ Lizard.’ It uses an upright, bipedal (two-legged) motion to propel itself across the surface. The way in which it does this has been studied in the past. They can achieve this seemingly impossible feat using a mixture of technique and anatomy.
In terms of running style, the kinematics (ways of moving) used by the lizards when walking on water are markedly different from those used on land. The lizard flicks its feet out to the side (medio-lateral movement) rather than moving them backward and forward. Also, its legs stretch further back than forward (a big kick back) when running on water, compared to lizards running on land, which use the same magnitude of kick forward and backward. Finally, it does not bend its ankles or knees, which suggests that it is using its limbs as force producers with no spring element. This is necessary when moving on a highly damping surface such as water.
Feet and Speed
When the basilisk’s feet slap the surface of the water, they create bubbles of air that provide some buoyancy. Its large feet and flattened toe pads assist with this. Its hind feet have large, rolled-up scales that are pushed up when the lizard begins to cross the water. Speed is also important. Basilisks can take up to 20 steps per second when running across water, and adults can travel several feet. Juveniles can cover slightly greater distances, but typically not more than about 20 feet. They must maintain a high speed to stay on the surface, so slowing down is not an option!
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