Toe pad morphology and mechanisms of sticking in frogs

1980/05/01 by SHARON B. EMERSON, Sharon B. Emerson, DIANA DIEHL +1 · 23 citations
Engineering · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Amphibian and Reptile Biology

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1980.tb00082.x

Abstract

Sticking ability in frogs was measured on a series of different substrates. Analysis of performance suggests that frogs use two sticking mechanisms: interlocking on rough surfaces and capillarity on smooth surfaces. There is a correlation between morphological specializations of the toe pad and sticking ability, but these morphological features are not unique to arboreal species. Terrestrial species that use leaves as resting sites during times of inactivity have many of the same morphological specializations and stick as well as the strictly arboreal species.

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