REPTILE and AMPHIBIAN are POIKILOTHERMIC this cold blooded animal
Reptiles and amphibians both have lungs and exchange gases in the
capillaries like mammals, but there are some differences in how they
ventilate their respiratory systems. Reptiles do not typically breathe
the same way as mammals since many reptiles lack a diaphragm. Without it
they rely on muscles used in locomotion to ventilate their lungs.
Amphibians are capable of buccal pumping
to push air into the lungs. This begins by muscles pulling air through
the mouth or nose into a buccal cavity. Throat muscles then pump and
move the floor of the mouth up in a way that Is visible from the
outside. This forces air out of the mouth and into the lungs. Look at
this frog's throat constantly moving.
Apart
from their capillaries, amphibians can also perform gas exchange
directly through their highly vascularized skin. This means that their
skin has lots of blood vessels going through it. Since the blood vessels
are close to their permeable skin surface, diffusion can take place
right through the skin. In fact, some salamanders have no lungs at all,
and they get all of their oxygen through their skin. The take home
message is never get in a breath holding contest with a salamander. We
wouldn't recommend a staring contest, either.
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