Most animals that weigh more than one gram can only move in the water by swimming and at a speed that is limited by the resistance of the environment. The basilisk is one of the exceptions.
This Central American saurian, about 80 centimeters long, is capable of running across the surface of the water at a record speed of two meters per second.
To accomplish this feat, the basilisk uses a physical trick. Two biologists from Harvard University have found that, in its march, the animal violently hits its legs against the surface of the water. This creates an air pocket that acts as a float.
