How Frogs Breathe And Survive Under Frozen Water
By: NDTVNewsDesk
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Though frogs have lungs, a great deal of their respiration takes place through their skin, which is permeable.
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Frogs breathe through their skin, a process called cutaneous respiration, which allows them to absorb oxygen directly from the water.
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Their skin is thin and covered in mucus, with a network of blood vessels underneath that facilitates the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
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Their amazing skin also has other uses. Frogs don't need to drink like humans, they absorb water through their permeable skin.
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Because they are cold-blooded, their metabolic rate is low, and their oxygen needs are much lower in winter.
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They also undergo brumation, equivalent of hibernation, where their heart rate can slow to just a few beats per minute.
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Many species burrow into the mud at the bottom of a pond to stay in the unfrozen water and find a spot to overwinter.
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Some species, like the wood frog, have evolved to be "freeze-tolerant" and can survive freezing solid for months.
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