How do snakes shed their skin?
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Introduction
Snakes undergo a process called ecdysis, commonly known as shedding their skin. This process is essential for growth, removing parasites, and maintaining healthy skin. The research on snake skin shedding provides insights into the biochemical changes and environmental factors influencing this process.
Key Insights
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Heavy Metal Excretion in Shed Skin:
- Snakes can excrete heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury through their shed skin. This makes shed skin a useful nonlethal biomarker for monitoring environmental exposure to these metals.
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Biochemical Differences in Neonate vs. Adult Shed Skin:
- The first shed skin of neonate corn snakes contains higher levels of cholesterol and different fatty acid compositions compared to adult shed skins. This indicates that the biochemical makeup of shed skin changes as snakes mature.
Conclusion
Snakes shed their skin as part of their growth and health maintenance processes. Shed skin can serve as a nonlethal biomarker for environmental contaminants like heavy metals. Additionally, the biochemical composition of shed skin varies between neonates and adults, reflecting changes in the snake's physiology as it matures.
Sources and full results
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