Cutaneous resistance to evaporative water loss in Taiwanese arboreal frogs

• Main Authors: Liu, Jen-Nan, 劉建男
• Other Authors: Ping-Chun L. Hou
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1996
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/29027799795667001859

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 生物學系 === 84 === We investigated rates of evaporative water loss (EWL) in seven arboreal and three nonarboreal anuran species and compared with EWL of the agar replicas. All seven arboreal species showed significantly lower EWL than those of the nonarboreal species. Cutaneous resistance to EWL in the arboreal species ranging from 1.21 to 3.33 s/cm, were significantly higher than those of the nonarboreal species and freewater surface. Behavior had an important effect on reducing EWL in the arboreal species and Bufo melanosticus, but was not important in the other two nonarboreal species, Rhacophorus japonicus and Rana longicrus. Increasing wind speed significantly reduced boundary layerresistance and increased EWL, especially in nonarboreal species. Relationship between temperature and EWL of Rhacophorus moltrechti and Robustus japonicus were measured at 15, 18, 21, 24 and 27 degrees.No physiological thermoregulation by evaporative cooling was observedwithin the temperature range. Cutaneous structures of the seven specieswere also investigated by light microscopy on the freeze and paraffinsections. However, no cutaneous lipid glands nor lipid layers werefound. Neither iridophores in dorsal skin increased. The mechanismfor cutaneous resistance in the arboreal frogs remains to be studied.