Table 2.
Comparison of thickness of selected skin layers in vertebrates that partake of percutaneous gas exchange. All values are in µm
| Skin component | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Epidermis | Stratum corneum | Dermis |
| European frog (Rana temporaria) | 80–100 | 5 (5–6.3)b | NR |
| African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) | 16–22 | NR | NR |
| European salamander (Salamandra maculosa) | 40–60 | 5 (8–12)b | NR |
| Mexican salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum) | 70–120 | Absent | NR |
| E. wahlbergi (WWS) | 9.1–10.5 | 3.7–4.4 (41–42)b | 2.8–8.2a |
| E. wahlbergi (BS) | 58–63 | 17.9–23.3 (31–37)b | 38.3–52.5 |
a
This value represents the combination of dermis and hypodermis as the two layers merge into each other.
b
The values in brackets in this column represent the thickness of stratum corneum as a percentage of the epidermal thickness. All data were obtained from Spearman (1968) except those for E. wahlbergi, which are from the current study. BS = body skin, WWS = wing web skin, NR = no records.