The glass frog has long been known to scientists, but they could not understand how it turns transparent. According to new studies, it may retain blood in its body without being harmed by clots. The study results might help doctors better understand risky blood clotting, which is a frequent and critical problem.
The glass frog, which is roughly the size of a marshmallow, spends its days resting on vibrant green leaves of tropical forests. To avoid predators' notice, the animal makes itself 61% transparent, concealing itself on the leaf.
As reported by Jesse Delia, a researcher at New York's Museum of Natural History, when you flip these frogs around, you could see their hearts beating on their own. The muscle can be seen through the skin, and the bulk of the body cavity is completely transparent.
Mr Delia and Carlos Taboada of Duke University in the United States have now discovered how the glass frogs accomplish this really uncommon feature.
The scientists assessed the opacity of the animals by shining different wavelengths of light through them while they were active and asleep. They noticed that the animals accumulate blood in their liver.
Further elaborated by Mr Delia, the frogs store most of the red blood cells in the liver, removing them from the blood plasma. They're still pumping plasma, but they're doing it without causing a big clot.
