Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Uptake of Water by the Lizard, Moloch horridus

Nature volume 194, pages 699–700 (1962)Cite this article

Abstract

Moloch horridusis an agamid lizard living in the desert regions of Western and South Australia. It weighs as much as 50 gm. and has been described by Buxton1 as “a repulsive animal with tubercles and spines, it has the power of absorbing water through the skin after showers of rain”. This ability of absorbing water through the skin is characteristic of many Amphibia and is correlated with a ready loss of water by the same route2. Reptiles living in arid conditions would find a water-permeable skin uneconomical for water conservation so that this mode of taking up water may be questioned for Moloch.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Buxton, P. A., Animal Life in Deserts (Edward Arnold, London, 1923).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Davson, H., A Textbook of General Physiology, second ed. (J. and A. Churchill, London, 1959).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ditmars, R. L., Reptiles of the World (John Lane, London, 1933).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. J. BENTLEY

    Present address: Department of Pharmacology, University of Bristol,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Physiology and Anatomy, University of Western Australia,

    P. J. BENTLEY & W. F. C. BLUMER

Authors
  1. P. J. BENTLEY
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. F. C. BLUMER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BENTLEY, P., BLUMER, W. Uptake of Water by the Lizard, Moloch horridus. Nature 194, 699–700 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/194699a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/194699a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing