Comparison of dehydration and angiotensin II-stimulated cutaneous drinking in toads, Bufo punctatus

Toads (Bufo punctatus) use a sequence of two postures to place the ventral skin on a moist surface and absorb water osmotically. First, the skin contacts the surface (seat patch down, SPD), and then the hindlimbs are abducted to maximize skin contact area (water absorption response, WR). Toads modulated behavior in response to hydration status and osmotic content of the hydration source. Dehydrated toads placed on water displayed both SPD and WR. Hydrated toads injected with angiotensin II (AII) displayed SPD longer than Ringer-injected controls but did not initiate WR and absorbed less water than dehydrated toads. These results suggest that dehydration has a more robust dipsogenic effect than AII. Dehydrated toads placed on 250 mM NaCl briefly initiated SPD but not WR. The addition of amiloride to the hyperosmotic salt solution resulted in brief display of WR but no water loss. Hydrated toads placed on 250 mM NaCl showed shorter periods of SPD behavior. The combination of AII injection and amiloride addition to the salt solution increased SPD initiation but SPD duration was short and water loss was prevented. Neither AII nor dehydration overrides chemosensory mechanisms in the skin that suppress cutaneous drinking from hypertonic solutions.