Microscopy Primer
Light and Color
Microscope Basics
Special Techniques
Digital Imaging
Confocal Microscopy
Live-Cell Imaging
Photomicrography
Microscopy Museum
Virtual Microscopy
Fluorescence
Web Resources
License Info
Image Use
Custom Photos
Partners
Site Info
Contact Us
Publications
Home

The Galleries:

Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Pharmaceuticals
Chip Shots
Phytochemicals
DNA Gallery
Microscapes
Vitamins
Amino Acids
Birthstones
Religion Collection
Pesticides
BeerShots
Cocktail Collection
Screen Savers
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Movie Gallery

Brightfield Microscopy Digital Image Gallery

Amphibian Skin

Amphibians are cold-blooded animals that are generally considered the most primitive terrestrial members of the phylum Chordata. Frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians are all members of this zoological class, each exhibiting a larval stage with gills that develops in an aquatic environment, external fertilization, and lungs in adulthood.

Due to their habitation of both terrestrial and freshwater locales at various stages in their life cycle, amphibians have a unique kind of permeable skin. Both oxygen and water are allowed to pass in and out of the delicate integument in order that homeostasis and a sufficient level of respiration may be maintained at all times, even when the animal is underwater. The skin of amphibians is also unusual because it must be kept in a relatively moist to help draw oxygen through the skin. In order to sustain the necessary moisture level, amphibians secrete mucus via glands contained in the skin. This mucous chiefly serves as a protective layer around the body when the animal is on land, but also facilitates a proper salt and water balance within the internal organs when the amphibian is submerged in water.

The skin of amphibians may exhibit a wide variety of colors and patterns. In many species, these characteristics of the skin help them blend into their natural environments in order to avoid predation. However, certain amphibians display bright warning colorations and patterns that may include hues of red, yellow, orange, and black, which serve as a bright signal to predators that they may be poisonous. Indeed, several species, such as the cane toads and poison arrow frogs, are equipped with skin glands that secrete powerful toxins.

BACK TO THE BRIGHTFIELD MICROSCOPY IMAGE GALLERY

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
© 1998-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last modification: Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 02:19 PM
Access Count Since November 25, 2003: 85059
All of the images in this gallery were captured with a QImaging Retiga camera system.
For more information on these cameras, use the button below to access
the QImaging website:
Visit the QImaging website.
For more information on microscope manufacturers,
use the buttons below to navigate to their websites: