CCIB Researchers Contribute to NYT-Featured Study on “Pirate Lizards” That Walk on Three Legs

CCIB in the news: A large, collaborative study featuring a team that includes Dr. Anthony Geneva and Inbar Maayan has compiled evidence that some lizards can survive and even reproduce after losing one or more limbs. The study aggregates photographs and field observations from researchers worldwide, revealing 122 individuals across 58 species on four continents with missing feet or legs.

While biologists long assumed that losing a limb would be fatal for small, fast-moving reptiles, the new dataset shows that a subset of “three-legged” (and in rare cases, two-legged) lizards continue to feed, gain mass, and, in some cases, carry eggs. High-speed video and field notes suggest these animals compensate with altered gaits such as stronger body undulation or taking more steps, which may be energetically costly but are still compatible with survival.

Importantly, the authors emphasize that not all injured lizards make it; the analysis focuses on individuals that did. Survival likely depends on context—predator exposure, camouflage, and other traits may tip the balance.

The work was featured in The New York Times. Read the coverage here:
“‘Pirate Lizards’ Can Get Around on 3 Legs” →

CCIB contributors: Inbar Maayan; Dr. Anthony Geneva.