Researchers from University of Canberra discovered that the Australian bearded dragon lizard exhibits a unique response to changes in temperature — sex reversal.

NY City Today reported that a study titled "Sex Reversal Triggers the Rapid Transition from Genetic to Temperature-Dependent Sex" was published in Nature, a science journal. 

In the study, the researchers used 131 Australian bearded dragon lizard for the experiment. These lizards were caught in the wild and their sexual markers were based on chromosomes, just like in humans. Researchers can identify the sexual orientation of the lizards by checking if the male organs or hemipenes are present or absent.

Clare Holleley, lead researcher of the study told CBC News that, "This is the first time we have proven that sex reversal happens in the wild in any reptile at all." She also added that the research "is showing that climate extremes can very rapidly fundamentally after the biology of an organism."

After conducting the experiment, 11 lizards showed changes in their characteristics — male in chromosomes but female in characteristics. Some even lay more eggs than their chromosomally-based female counterparts.

According to Business Insider, the researchers made another interesting discovery. They discovered that the offspring of the lizards whose sex was determined due to high temperature also bore female lizards.

Arthur Georges, an Australian ecologist, told Business Insider, "Once the chromosome is gone, it's really hard to flip back, because once you've thrown that machinery away, to reinvent it takes a long time."

Based on these facts presented by the researchers, genetically male lizards will turn into female lizards that will bear female lizards as well.  It means that if the climate change will continue, it can lead to a "mostly-female" population of the Australian bearded dragon lizard.

Georges added, "If the climate kept on warming four to five degrees, it could be quite catastrophic, and could drive the lizards to extinction."