Breathing is a vital function for all living beings, since even plants breathe, in the animal kingdom the difference in types of breathing lies in the anatomical adaptations of each group of animals and the type of environment in which they live.The system consists of a set of organs that act in unaisono to carry out gas exchanges, during this process there is essentially an exchange of gases between the body and the environment, in which the animal obtains oxygen (O2), gas essential for its operation and releases carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a vital step, a sound of body accumulation is deadly.
If you want to know more about the different types of animal breathing, continue reading this article by Animal Expert, where we will talk about the different ways in which animals breathe and their main differences and complexities.
- All animals share the vital function of breathing.
- But the way they do it is a different story for each group of animals.
- The type of breathing used varies depending on the group of animals and their anatomical characteristics and adaptations.
During this process, animals, like other living beings, exchange gases with the environment and can obtain oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. Through this metabolic process, animals can obtain energy to perform all other vital functions, which is essential for aerobic organisms.that is, those who live in the presence of oxygen (O2).
There are several types of animal respiration, which can be classified into:
This type of breathing, in which gas exchanges are carried out through the lungs, extends between terrestrial vertebrates (such as mammals, birds and reptiles), aquatic vertebrates (such as cetaceans) and amphibians, which are also able to breathe through the skin.For the vertebrate group, the respiratory system has different anatomical adaptations and the structure of the lungs changes.
Pulmonary breathing in amphibians
In amphibians, the lungs can be simple vascularized sacs, such as salamanders and frogs, which are lungs divided into chambers with folds that increase the contact surface for gas exchange: the alveoli.
On the other hand, reptiles have more specialized lungs than amphibians; are divided into several interconnected fluffy airbags; the total area of gas exchange increases much more than amphibians; some species of lizards, for example, have two lungs, while snakes have only one..
In birds, on the other hand, we observe one of the most complex respiratory systems due to the flight function and the high oxygen demand that this entails.His lungs are ventilated by air sacs, structures found only in birds.The sacs do not interfere with the exchange of gases, but they have the ability to store air and then expel it, that is, they act as bellows, allowing the lungs to still have reserves of fresh air circulating inside.
Pulmonary breathing in mammals
Mammals have two lungs of elastic tissue divided into lobes and their structure is similar to that of a tree, as they branch into bronchi and bronchioles until they reach the alveoli, where an exchange of gases occurs.The lungs are housed in the chest cavity and are limited by the diaphragm, a muscle that helps them and, with their bloating and contraction, facilitates the entry and exit of the gases.
The gills are the organs responsible for breathing water, they are external structures and are located behind or on the side of the head, depending on the species.They can appear in two ways: in the form of structures grouped into gill slits or branched appendages, as in the larvae of newts and newts, or in invertebrates as larvae of certain insects, annelids and molluscs.
When water enters the mouth and exits through the cracks, oxygen becomes “trapped” and transferred to blood and other tissues.Gas exchange occurs through the flow of water or with the help of gills, which bring water to the gills.
Animals breathing through the gills
Here are some examples of animals breathing through the gills:
For more information, see this other Animal Expert article on how fish breathe.
Tracheal respiration in animals is most common in invertebrates, mainly insects, arachnids, myriapods (thousand-legged and centipede), etc.The tracheal system consists of a branch of tubes and ducts that pass through the body and connect directly to the rest of the organs and tissues, so that, in this case, the circulatory system does not interfere with the transport of gases.In other words, oxygen is mobilized without reaching the hemolymph (fluid in the circulatory system of invertebrates, such as insects, which performs a blood-like function in humans and other vertebrates) and enters directly into the cells.At turn, these ducts are directly connected to the outside by openings called stigmas or spiracles, through which it is possible to eliminate CO2.
Some of the animals that have tracheal breathing include
In this case, breathing is done through the skin and not through another organ, such as the lungs or gills.It occurs mainly in certain species of insects, amphibians and other vertebrates associated with wetlands or very fine skins; Mammals such as bats, for example, which have very fine skin on their wings and through which part of the gas exchange can be performed, this is very important because through very fine and irrigated skin gas exchanges are facilitated and, in this way, oxygen and carbon dioxide can pass through it freely.
Some animals, such as some amphibian species or soft-shelled turtles, have mucous glands that help keep their skin moist.In addition, for example, other amphibians have folds in the skin and thus increase the area of exchange and, although they can combine forms of breathing, such as the lungs and skin, 90% of amphibians exchange gases through the skin.
Examples of animals breathing through the skin
Some of the animals that breathe through the skin are:
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