Histological Observation of Skin from Three Species of Megophryinae
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    Abstract:

    We observed the skin structures of Xenophrys brachykolos, Brachytarsophrys carinense and Ophryophryne microstoma, representing three genera of Megophryinae respectively, using paraffin section and hematoxylin-eosin staining.Skins taken from dorsal head, dorsal and ventral trunk were observed.The skin structures of three species were similar, composed of epidermis and dermis.Dermis was made up of stratum spongiosum and stratum compactum.The stratum spongiosum abounded with two types of glands: mucus gland and granular gland.However, there were interspecific difference and inter-position difference in skin thickness and glands density.Osteoderms, which had laminate structure and were blue after staining with hematoxylin-eosin, were found in the skin of B.carinense, while the lamina calcarea was found in the skins of X.brachykolos and O.microstoma.However, the lamina calcarea was more developed in the skin of X.brachykolos than in O.microstoma.The functions of both structures of osteoderms and lamina calcarea could be water conservation and anti-desiccation.They exist in the Megophryinae, providing important clues for the research of integumentary skeleton evolution.

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LEI Fei-Zhou, JIANG Jian-Ping, LI Cheng, XIE Feng. 2012. Histological Observation of Skin from Three Species of Megophryinae. Chinese Journal of Zoology, 47(3): 20-27.

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History
  • Received:December 23,2011
  • Revised:March 08,2012
  • Adopted:
  • Online: June 22,2012
  • Published: