Group Character

Amphibians - Moist skin that facilitates gas transfer

Increased surface area for inc. cutaneous
exchange
- Muscles are associated with the base of the
projecting gills and contract to wave the gills back
and forth
- Hypaxial muscles especially transversus
abdominis contract to actively aid exhalation
- Active muscle contraction does not contribute to
inhalation
- Buccal pump is involved in feeding
- Thin layer of keratin and rich supply of capillaries
within integument
Ventilation does not depend on ribs but on pumping
movements of throat
Mammals - Cornified and thick skin that slows gas diffusion
with environment
- Diaphragm anterior to liver
- Transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis and
serratus aid in ventilation
- Alveoli
Fishes Predominant respiratory pump is the branchial
apparatus, drives water across gills
Tetrapods The pump is the rib cage, sometimes assised by a
diaphragm, moves air to the lungs
Most fish (water breathing), Gnathostomes, Ammocoete Unidirectional ventilation
larva, hagfish, Elasmobranchs, Larval Amphibians, Birds
Air breathing fishes Tidal/Bidirectional lung ventilation
Amphibians (adult) - Inhaled air mixes with spent air and is exhaled
Reptiles - Air enters and exits through the same channels
Mammals - Capillaries are replenished intermittently, not
Adult Lamprey continuously with air
Chondricthyan Fishes Interbranchial septum covers the internal gills
Chondricthyan, osteichthyans Internal gills are associated with pharyngeal slits and
pouches
Actinopterygians, Lungfishes, Amphibians External gills that arise in the branchial region as
filamentous capillary beds that produce into the
surrounding water
Primitive fishes, most tetrapods (Reptiles, Mammals, Paired lungs in adults
Birds)
Amniotes, Tetrapods, Primitive Fishes Lungs Lie ventral to the digestive tract
Amniotes - Lungs are connected to the outside environment
via the trachea
- Aspiration pump
Includes rib cage and muscular diaphragm
- Buccal cavity is no longer part of the pumping
mechanism, feeding and ventilation are
decoupled
Tetrapods with slender bodies (Amphisbaenids, Single lung
Advanced Snakes)
Agnathans, Elasmobranchs, Placoderms No lungs or swimblader
Lungfishes Single dorsal lung
Salamanders (Plethodontidae) Adults lack lungs and gills and depend entirely on
cutaneous respiration
Mammals, Humans Respire cutaneously but very little
Bats Cutaneous respiration across a well vascularized wing
membrane
Haplosternum (Catfish) Guls air and swallows it into digestive tract
Electrophorus (Electric eel) Gulps and holds air in mouth to expose capillary
networks of the mouth to oxygen
Mnierpes Gills are reinforced to prevent collapse during bouts of air
breathing
Anamniotes Respiration in embryo takes place directly between the
surrounding environment and the embryo across the skin
Reptiles, Birds - Embryo is wrapped in extramembryonic
membranes and then enclosed in shell
Choriallantois lies beneath the shell and acts
as respiratory organ
Porous shell allows oxygen to pass through
- Very limited cutaneous respiration
Protochordates, Agnathans Cilia as ventilation system
Large Vertebrates Cilia is to clear surface debris
- Ciliated and mucous cells secrete mucus over the
lining to trap dust and particular material
Vertebrates Ventilation depends on muscle action
Large, active, pelagic fishes as tuna and some sharks Ram ventilation
Gnathostome, water breathing fishes, Elasmobranchs, Dual pump
Larval anurans
Air breathing fishes and amphibians - Buccal pump / Pulse pump
- Bidirectional exchange of air is aided by
hydrostatic pressure of water column
- Breathing is aided to muscle contractions within
the buccal cavity and with striated muscles
around the lung
Lungfishes Fishes that use dual
pump when in water but in air dual pump is modified into
a buccal pump
Air breathing fishes Active contractions of brachial musculature affect
inhalation
Primitive amphibians, most amphibians Two-stroke buccal pump
Aquatic amphibians Four-stroke buccal pump
Birds - Aspiration pump is highly modified
- Parabronchi
- 9 air sacs
- Bones contain air, not marrow
- No valves
Sharks Dual pump mechanism creates alternating negative
(suction) and positive pressures to draw water in and
then drive it across gill curtain
Skates and rays Dorsally placed spiracle allows water to enter
Holocephalians (Ratfishes) Lack spiracles, with single flap of skin that covers all
branchial arches
Osteichtyans/Bony fishes Bony or cartilaginous operculum
Bony fishes The adductor muscles control the arrangement of
adjacent gills that govern the flow of water across the
secondary lamellae
Air breathing fishes Gulps and forces fresh air through the pneumatic duct to
ventilate a gas bladder
Actinopetrygian Hydrostatic function of swim bladders is more
pronounced
Bottom-dwelling bony fishes, fishes of open water (tuna No swim bladder
and mackerel), chondrichthyan
Primitive teleosts Swim bladder is physostomous
Advanced teleosts Swim bladder is physoclistous with an oval for
respiration of gas
Larval Amphibians - Internal gills and feathery external gills
- Water fills buccal cavity through mouth and nares
Lunged amphibians/Adult Amphibians Lung is septal
Lungs have faveoli
Starting from amphibian adults Gills are lost
Frogs Buccal pump is also deployed in producing vocalizations
Frogs, Lungfishes - Hyoid apparatus aids in filling the buccal cavity
- Fresh air pushed into the lungs against pressure
Snakes, most lizards Lungs include a single, central air chamber into which
faveoli open
Monitor lizards, Turtles, Crocs Single air chamber is subdivided
Snakes - Long narrow lungs
- Left lung is greatly reduced
- With an anterior respiratory portion and a
posterior saccular portion
Caimans, Crocodiles Liver is associated with the aspiration pump
Reptiles, Mammals, Birds - Ribs contribute to aspiration pump
- Muscularized diaphragm aids aspiration pump
Cursorial Mammals Breathing patterns and locomotor galt are coupled
 Agnathans Lamprey Gnathostomes Elasmobranchs Hagfish
- Feeding-ventilation current - Lateral gills - No major expansions and
of water is produced by contractions of the branchial
pumps composed of velar apparatus, relies instead on
folds or velum scrolling and unscrolling of
- Feeding-ventilation is velum with synchronized
produced by compression contractions and relaxations
and expansion of branchial of branchial pouches
apparatus - Water enters the nostril not
- Seven pairs of slits with flaps mouth
of skin to cover these slits
- Gills are medial to branchial
arches
- Pharyngeal openings are
small and round, not long
slits
- Countercurrent system of
water and blood
- Depends on cilia-lined
channels to gather food
collected
- Larva Muscular velum draws
water into the mouth and
forces the water through the
pharyngeal slits and across
the gills before exiting to the
outside
- Adult Water exits and enters
pharyngeal slits