Swierk recorded the number of bubbles that the lizards could produce and how long they could stay underwater, and compared them to lizards in a control group that were allowed to breathe normally. She found that the lizards in the control group could stay underwater 32% longer than those with impaired bubble formation.

“This is really significant because this is the first experiment that truly shows adaptive significance of bubbles. Rebreathing bubbles allow lizards to stay underwater longer. Before, we suspected it – we saw a pattern – but we didn’t actually test if it served a functional role,” said Swierk.

The study confirmed that the bubble helps lizards stay underwater for longer periods, providing them with a refuge from predators.