{"685950":{"#nid":"685950","#data":{"type":"news","title":"3-Legged Lizards Can Thrive Against All Odds, Challenging Assumptions About How Evolution Works in the\u00a0Wild","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=2QdWvJ4AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003EWe are lizard\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=G4Np3c0AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Ebiologists\u003C\/a\u003E, and to do our work we need to catch lizards \u2013 never an easy task with such fast, agile creatures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYears ago, one of us was in the Bahamas chasing a typically uncooperative lizard across dense and narrow branches, frustrated that its nimble agility was thwarting efforts to catch it. Only when finally captured did we discover this wily brown anole was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anoleannals.org\/2019\/06\/14\/weird-lizard-with-three-and-a-half-legs\/\u0022\u003Emissing its entire left hind leg\u003C\/a\u003E. This astonishing observation set our research down an unexpected path.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat chance encounter led us to collaborate with over 60 colleagues worldwide to document what we suspected might be a broader phenomenon. Our research uncovered \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/737525\u0022\u003E122 cases of limb loss across 58 lizard species\u003C\/a\u003E and revealed that these \u201cthree-legged pirates\u201d \u2013 the rare survivors of traumatic injuries \u2013 can run just as fast, maintain healthy body weight, reproduce successfully and live surprisingly long lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo be clear, most lizards probably do not survive such devastating injuries. What we\u2019re documenting are the exceptional cases that defy our expectations about how natural selection works.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A hefty green lizard with a noticeable mark where it\u0026apos;s left \u0026apos;arm\u0026apos; would have been poses on a tree branch\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=502\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=502\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683567\/original\/file-20250802-56-vbi4ig.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=502\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EA four-horned chameleon missing its entire left forelimb in Cameroon appeared healthy when observed in the wild, despite the specialized gripping requirements of chameleons.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution source\u0022\u003EChristopher Anderson\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis discovery is startling because lizard limbs represent one of biology\u2019s most studied examples of evolutionary adaptation. For decades, scientists have demonstrated that even tiny differences in leg length between individual lizards can mean the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-54302-1\u0022\u003Edifference between life and death\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 affecting their ability to escape predators, catch prey and find mates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince subtle variations matter so much, biologists have long assumed that losing an entire limb should be catastrophic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYet our global survey tells a different story about these remarkable survivors. Working with colleagues across six continents, we found limb-damaged lizards across nearly all major lizard families, from tiny geckos to massive iguanas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese animals had clearly healed from whatever trauma caused their injuries \u2013 likely accidents or the failed attempts of a predator to eat them. Perhaps most remarkably, we documented surviving limb loss even in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.zool.2009.07.001\u0022\u003Echameleons, tree-climbing specialists\u003C\/a\u003E whose movements seem to require perfect limb coordination.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EThriving, Not Just Surviving\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe body condition of these lizards was most surprising. Rather than appearing malnourished, many limb-damaged lizards were actually heavier than expected for their size, suggesting they were successfully finding food despite their handicap. Some were actively reproducing, with females found carrying eggs and males observed successfully mating.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u00224 side by side X-ray images in black and white of small lizards each missing a limb\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=229\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=229\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=229\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=287\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=287\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/683568\/original\/file-20250802-56-vhwfsi.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=287\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ELimb damage can be fairly common in some lizard populations, such as these X-rays of brown anoles (\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EAnolis sagrei\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003E) from the Bahamas.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution source\u0022\u003EJason Kolbe\/Jonathan Losos\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese findings force us to reconsider some basic assumptions about how evolution might work in wild populations. Charles Darwin envisioned natural selection as an omnipresent force, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/darwin-online.org.uk\/Variorum\/1860\/1860-84-c-1866.html\u0022\u003Edaily and hourly scrutinizing\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d every feature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut perhaps selection is more episodic than constant. Maybe sometimes limb length matters tremendously, while during other times \u2013 such as when food is abundant and predators are scarce \u2013 limb length matters less and three-legged lizards can flourish.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese lizard survivors showcase the incredible solutions that millions of years of evolution have built into their biology. Rather than being passive victims of their injuries, these lizards may survive by actively choosing safer habitats or hunting strategies, using smart behavior to avoid situations where their disability would be a disadvantage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBiological Engineering in Action\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur research combines old-fashioned natural history \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.thestroudlab.com\/\u0022\u003Eobservations with cutting-edge, biomechanical analysis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe use high-speed cameras and computer software that can track movement frame by frame to analyze running mechanics invisible to the naked eye. This combination of field biology and laboratory precision allows us to understand not just that these lizards survive, but how they accomplish this remarkable feat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen we tested the three-legged lizards\u2019 athletic performance, the results defied expectations. Some animals were clearly impaired in their sprinting capabilities, but \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/737525\u0022\u003Eothers actually ran faster\u003C\/a\u003E than fully-limbed individuals of the same size across a 2-meter dash \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/amid-a-tropical-paradise-known-as-lizard-island-researchers-are-cracking-open-evolutions-black-box-scientist-at-work-246474\u0022\u003Eduring our \u201cLizard Olympics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe src=\u0022https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1106775564\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022 height=\u0022281\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 webkitallowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022 mozallowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EResearchers used computer software that automatically tracks movement patterns to analyze high-speed videos of lizards sprinting, such as this brown anole missing half of its right back leg. Christopher Anderson\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHigh-speed video analysis revealed their secret: The speedy survivors compensate through creative biomechanical solutions. One brown anole missing half its hind limb dramatically increased its body undulation during sprinting, using exaggerated snakelike movements to compensate for the missing leg.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy documenting the unexpected \u2013 the seemingly impossible survivors \u2013 we\u2019re reminded that nature still holds surprises that can fundamentally change how we think about life itself.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/262467\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/3-legged-lizards-can-thrive-against-all-odds-challenging-assumptions-about-how-evolution-works-in-the-wild-262467\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearch uncovered 122 cases of limb loss across 58 lizard species and revealed that these \u201cthree-legged pirates\u201d \u2013 the rare survivors of traumatic injuries \u2013 can run just as fast, maintain healthy body weight, reproduce successfully and live surprisingly\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research uncovered 122 cases of limb loss across 58 lizard species and revealed that these \u201cthree-legged pirates\u201d \u2013 the rare survivors of traumatic injuries \u2013 can run just as fast, maintain healthy body weight, reproduce successfully and live surprisingly"}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-10-13 14:07:43","changed_gmt":"2025-10-24 15:16:09","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678434":{"id":"678434","type":"image","title":"A brown basilisk missing both its entire left forearm and part of its right hind limb. Brian Hillen","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA brown basilisk missing both its entire left forearm and part of its right hind limb. Brian Hillen\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1761228620","gmt_created":"2025-10-23 14:10:20","changed":"1761228620","gmt_changed":"2025-10-23 14:10:20","alt":"A brown basilisk missing both its entire left forearm and part of its right hind limb. Brian Hillen","file":{"fid":"262457","name":"file-20250909-56-flxs0z.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/23\/file-20250909-56-flxs0z.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/23\/file-20250909-56-flxs0z.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":276897,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/23\/file-20250909-56-flxs0z.jpg?itok=_qtuF6Aw"}}},"media_ids":["678434"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/3-legged-lizards-can-thrive-against-all-odds-challenging-assumptions-about-how-evolution-works-in-the-wild-262467","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthors:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/james-t-stroud-1477595\u0022\u003EJames T. Stroud\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor of Ecology and Evolution, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jonathan-losos-1451446\u0022\u003EJonathan Losos\u003C\/a\u003E, William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/washington-university-in-st-louis-732\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWashington University in St. Louis\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}