Habitat

In warm regions where rainfall is unpredictable or seasonal, resident amphibians have some innovative ways of avoiding dessication. Phyllomedusa sauvagei is a large South American tree frog which spends much of its time in tree tops where wind and heat can cause rapid water loss from evaporation. When this frog rests, special glands in its skin secrete a waxy substance which the frog then rubs all over its body. This coat provides enough waterproofing to lower the frog's rate of water loss close to that of a desert iguana!

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