Jesus Lizard

Question: How is the Jesus lizard (Basilisk) able to walk on water surface?
How do the following factors affect its motion?
1. surface tension
2. viscosity
3. impulse
Country: India

Answer:

The reasons for the lizard walking on water for short distances are actually none of those suggested.

There follows some modified extracts from articles that I have found.

For more information try using Google and typing in "Jesus lizard walking on water"
The Basilisk Lizard, nicknamed the 'Jesus Christ' Lizard, has the amazing ability to be able to walk upon the water. It can run up to one hundred feet across any body of water. The Basilisk goes into the water, and using it's feet, pushes down, creating a cavity almost like an air bubble. Gathering enough speed, it uses the air to push forward. The lizard minimizes downward forces by pulling its foot upward before the cavity collapses.
Basilisks actually have large hind feet with flaps of skin between each toe. The fact that they move quickly across the water, aided by their web-like feet, gives them the appearance of "walking on water".
Smaller basilisks can run about 10-20 meters on the water without sinking. Young basilisks can usually run farther than older ones.
When scared the little lizard runs away on its back legs. It can even run across water. Here's how it does it - its feet have a very broad sole and a fringe on its toes. However it only works when the lizard runs fast, as it slows down it starts to go through the surface and then has to swim. It can run up to one hundred feet across any body of water. The Basilisk's feet, push down, creating a hollow almost like an air bubble in the water. Gathering enough speed, it uses the air to push forward. The lizard pulls its foot upward before the hollow breaks plunging it into the water. To do this the toes on the foot are pulled together and the entire foot is pulled upward. That means the foot is surrounded only by air as the animal quickly pulls its foot out of the hole.
For a human to do what the basilisk lizard does, they would have to run 65 miles an hour and expend 15 times more energy that a human is able to expend.