The skin is a protective barrier that separates the delicate internal tissues from harsh and changing external conditions.
It insulates the body to prevent infections and repairs itself when injured.
But a perfect seal is not always desirable.
A small amount of oxygen often passes directly through.
This cutaneous respiration is even essential to the survival of certain animals.
Amphibians are said to absorb more than 50% of their oxygen this way, which requires skin that is permeable enough for the gas to diffuse.
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The glass frog
The two pathways by which amphibians take up oxygen are highly visible in the reticulated glass frog (
Hyalinobatrachium valerioi
).
Its transparent and permeable skin is responsible for the majority of the oxygen supply, the rest being carried into the blood through the lungs.
The underwater frog
At low temperatures, water carries more oxygen.
In the high mountains of the Andes, South America, the loose folds in the skin of the Titicaca water frog (
Telmatobius culeus
) help it stay in the cool waters of the lake by maximizing the supply of oxygen without recourse to the lungs.
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