Frogs in Central and South America Have Rare Ability in Changing Transparent Appearance

New fascinating research revealed how selected frogs in Central and South America managed to conceal themselves, showing a rare ability to change into a transparent appearance to evade predators.

Animals in the wildlife have their ways of hiding and catching their prey. They might conceal inside a habitat, plant or anything in the forests or ocean. It is a natural ability to survive in the environment.

When animals sleep or eat, they can be vulnerable to prey and targets. As a result, a perfect way to keep themselves from the eyes of predators is important.

(Photo : by OSWALDO RIVAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Exotic Fauna zoo in Managua, on June 27, 2022

According to Associated Press' recent report, new research found a rare ability how frogs could conceal and reveal themselves in the environment. The research findings were published in Science journal.

Transparency is crucial for animals, especially frogs, to camouflage themselves. The research explained that glass frogs showed a fascinating and amazing ability to keep a transparent appearance without damaging their bodies. In the previous report, the Atlantic explained that frogs managed to weave like invisibility cloak to hide themselves.

Frogs' transparent appearance

As a result, researchers looked into how the frogs allow themselves a high level of transparency in the environment.

The competition in the environment makes them more vulnerable. According to the Associated Press, the study's author Junjie Yao explained that the said frogs maintain transparency for their safety. Yao is a biomedical engineer at Duke University.

Yao added that frogs could keep away from predators when they are awake. These frogs managed to adapt their hidden technique, especially when they were vulnerable. For example, glass frogs have an opaque-reddish brown appearance when awake.

However, the transparent ability of frogs is not as easy as you think. According to the research, the said frogs focus on about 90% of their red blood cells going to the liver, allowing them a complete hiding ability.

Blood Concentration

Amazingly, concentrating the red blood cells on the liver could kill them, especially when it takes hours. How the frogs managed to survive is a mystery among the researchers.

The situation could have been extremely dangerous for frogs with insufficient oxygen inside their bodies. Chances are they could suffer from blood clotting. However, this rare ability has become a survival technique for frogs to thrive.

Furthermore, the study's co-author Carlos Taboada said the findings could help with anti-blood clotting medications. Additional research could provide insightful ideas into the medical field. Taboada is also a Duke University biologist.

The Science explained that other species would find the transparency difficult as their bodies have red blood cells.

The researchers were amazed at how the said frogs could conceal their appearances and when they could turn it on to find food. The total concentration of red blood cells has helped them stay alive despite sleeping.

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The Associated Press reported that there are other transparent species, such as insects, fish, and jellyfish.

However, the frogs' transparency by concentrating the red blood cells is higher than other species.