We’ve all wished for the ability to disappear at one time or another. But for glass frogs, several species of tree frogs that call the tropical forests of Central and South America home, that dream is a reality … sort of. The bottle cap-sized body of the glass frog boasts a translucent belly and chest.
It’s a particularly helpful form of camouflage because it prevents predators from spotting the frog’s otherwise recognizable silhouette. Now new research, published in Science in December, reveals how the amphibians accomplish this trick: They shunt nearly all of their red blood cells straight to the liver.
Many aquatic species, including certain jellyfish and crustaceans, have transparency on their evolutionary bingo cards, too — though it’s a bit easier for these sea-dwelling invertebrates. For one thing, light reflects differently when it's in air versus in water.
Read More: Some Aquatic Species Evolved See-Through Bodies For Camouflage
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