Abstract
When live toads (Bufo) are placed on a water-saturated surface, it can be demonstrated that a film of water moves upward over the sides of the body and, in some individuals, reaches the dorsal midline. Movement of water over the skin follows interconnecting channels which characterize the outer epidermis of many terrestrial species. It was demonstrated that such water movement may replenish evaporative losses from skin surfaces and act to retard both cutaneous desiccation and elevated temperatures in individuals which are forced to bask in the laboratory. Observations and experiments suggest the possibility that epidermal sculpturing of terrestrial Bufonidae may have a functional role in relation to water uptake, thermoregulation and the prevention of integumentary desiccation.
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