That’s because recent research has found that three-legged lizards—colloquially named “three-legged pirates”—can do quite well even with crippling injuries. These amazing animals push the boundaries of what we thought was possible evolutionarily, physically, and behaviorally out in the wild. In it, researchers have tracked 122 instances of limb loss across 58 different lizard species. This research looks at almost every major lizard family, from little geckos to big iguanas. Despite these challenges, the results indicate that these lizards are not just surviving, but succeeding. They are characterized by exceptional athletic performance, attractive body condition, and excellent reproductive performance.
The Unlikely Survivors
Three-legged lizards are now uncommon survivors of traumatic injury. This captivating phenomenon raises compelling questions about the role of resilience in the animal kingdom. Research led by Tseng and others revealed that these lizards, even with amputated limbs, evolve some heroic adaptations. Consequently, they are able to thrive in complex, demanding ecosystems. Their tenacity and capability of navigating the wild earned these “three-legged pirates” the name and reputation in which they infused their own special flavor.
Scientists have previously found that lizards with limb damage are still able to run at the speeds of healthy lizards. This striking finding comes from an initial study that examined a handful of species. They show off their amazing talent to adjust for lost limbs through other motions and increase their athletic skills. Even an individual brown anole that had lost half of its hind limb proved surprisingly nimble in its speed trials. It enhanced its body undulation and employed over-animated snakelike movements to make up for the lost leg.
Athletic Performance Beyond Expectations
The athletic abilities of these limb-damaged lizards would surprise the average observer. In fact, the three-legged lizards keep up their speed and three-legged lizards sometimes run faster than fully-limbed lizards of the same size. This unexpected superpower is a testament to their incredible resilience. This surprising benefit upends long-held scientific beliefs about the ways physical constraints shape mobility across the body in reptiles.
Related research on other species has found when walking or running with a damaged limb, lizards can change their movement to increase performance. Some species go a step further and evolve entirely new ways of moving that make them faster and more agile. These adaptations illustrate the remarkable evolutionary plasticity of these animals. Their findings hint that these animals might be born with natural talent to tackle physical obstacles.
Longevity and Reproductive Success
Aside from their impressive speed and agility, three-legged lizards exhibit normal body condition and higher success rates in reproduction. Studies into the DNA of these lizards have revealed how they’re able to transgress death, defying expectation to boast long living lives despite incredible physical danger. This extraordinary ability to flourish in the face of limb loss implies a secret to resilience that could teach us about important evolutionary processes.
The history of granulomatous limb loss even features chameleons. These masterful climbers depend on their nimble peripheral coordination to scamper across trees. This discovery indicates that limb loss doesn’t stop these unique reptiles in their tracks. It speaks to the incredible adaptive potential of lizards in general.