ABSTRACT
Many of the skin functions we have previously considered could be interpreted as protective adaptations. For example, animals use communication, often through coloration, to prevent themselves from getting eaten by a predator or attacked by a competitor. This may occur in the form of warning coloration or camouflage. Animals continuously thermoregulate to protect themselves from environments that are too hot or cold. They also use their skin to protect themselves from losing water. In this section, we will consider two additional ways in which animals protect themselves — by using physical defense to protect themselves from attack, and by chemical defense from predators and the environment.
