Fleeing naked into the night is a practice usually only adopted by surprised lovers.

But one lizard has evolved the behaviour as a cunning way to slip away from predators.

Many lizards can drop their tails when grabbed, but new species (Geckolepis megalepis) goes to more extreme lengths, shedding its huge scales and scampering away in its birthday suit.

Its super large scales are attached only by a relatively narrow region that tears with ease, and beneath them they have a separate skin.