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Why do some desert lizards have fringes on their toes?
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lizard
Black girdle-tailed lizard (Cordylus nigra).
Some desert-dwelling lizards, such as certain geckos, the iguanid Uma, and the lacertid Acanthodactylus, possess fringes on their toes as an adaptation for life in sandy environments.1
These fringes consist of elongated, pointed scales that extend from the digits. By increasing the surface area of the feet, these structures prevent the lizard from sinking into loose desert sand, allowing for more efficient movement across the substrate.21