Island Lizards Digest More Efficiently Than Their Mainland Counterparts

Plants and Animals





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Adult Lacerta trilineata. Kostas Sagonas

For insect-eating lizards, island living means going hungry every now and then. To make the most of scarce food resources on isolated Greek isles, Balkan green lizards (Lacerta trilineata) have evolved a special digestive system that allows them to absorb nutrients better. The work, published in The Science of Nature, helps explain how animals are able to successfully colonize islands.