Types of Animals with Gills

Breathing through gills is carried out by animals that live in water, with very few exceptions. Aquatic animals with gills include fish, some amphibians, arthropods, worms, etc. Respiration is the transfer of oxygen from the outside environment to the cells so that the organism can carry out various functions. It also involves expelling carbon dioxide created during the conversion of oxygen into useful energy. Gills are usually found on both sides of the head, but can be either internal or external.

The gills are made up of tiny structures which have a large surface area, making them better able to absorb oxygen. Most have blood flowing through interlocking filaments which are used to exchange the gases (oxygen for carbon dioxide). The oxygen comes from oxygen-rich water which is drawn over the gills via various methods. In many fish, water flows in through the mouth and passes over the gills before leaving through the gill openings. This steady flow helps the gills take up oxygen from the water.

The respiratory system of fish varies, but there are some key elements which we detail in this article on how fish breathe. Curiously, the lungfish is a type of fish which has lungs (or, in one case, a lung) as well as gills, but most of these gills do not function after a certain time.

The aforementioned exception are some species of land crabs which have gills, but cannot live when submerged in water for long periods of time. They take oxygen from the air via their gills, but these gills need to be moist to do so. The majority of crabs live in water, although some can spend time on both land and water.

Here are some examples of animals with gills:

The giant oceanic manta ray is a fish in the class Chondrichthyes, which includes types of fish that have a cartilaginous skeleton instead of bone. Due to its specific anatomy, the giant oceanic manta ray has its gills on the ventral surface underneath its body. There are five pairs of gill slits which can be seen opening and closing as water passes over them. These gill slits are often colored black, the same color as their mouths. Their position on the underside of the body distinguishes them from the gills of many other fish.

The giant oceanic manta ray is the largest ray species in the world. They have a circumtropical distribution, inhabiting warm waters of the tropics. They commonly live in shallow reefs or near the surface of various coasts. They can occasionally be observed on the sandy sea bed or in beds of seagrass.

The whale shark, as with all shark species, needs to be in continuous motion for water to pass over its gills. It has five gill slits on each side of its head, very close to its pectoral fins. These openings allow water to pass across the gill tissue, where oxygen is absorbed.

This shark also has a circumtropical distribution, but it will venture further into temperate waters. It can even be found in the Mediterranean Sea. They usually dive at depths of almost 2,000 meters, carrying out feeding behavior in the process. Unlike marine mammals which need to come back up for air, the gills allow the shark to breathe continuously underwater. They are a very large shark, with individuals reaching over 20 meters in length having been discovered.

Lampreys belong to the superclass Agnatha, which consists of jawless fish. These fish have a special characteristic in that they are parasitic animals. They latch their mouths onto their hosts and absorb nutrients. When they do this, their clamped mouths do not let water pass through, so they have to take in water through the gill slits. The gills sit in pouches along the sides of the body, allowing the lamprey to breathe while its mouth is attached to a host.

This species is native to the southern hemisphere, except for African coasts. Additionally, they are anadromous animals, meaning they swim upstream in freshwater rivers to lay their eggs. Perhaps the most famous example of anadromous fish is the salmon. Young juveniles travel to oceans where they live until adulthood. They are considered to be one of the oldest animals in the world.

The giant clam is a bivalve mollusk which lives on the reefs of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They breathe through their gills. The water is taken in by an absorbent siphon and expelled through another one. In addition to breathing, a clam's gills have other functions involved with digestion, excretion and osmosis. As water moves over the gills, they can also capture tiny food particles, which are then transported toward the mouth.

Nudibranchs are an order of gastropod mollusks commonly known as "sea slugs". They are particularly noted for their striking colors, which may include bioluminescent patterns. The gills are characterized by being outside of the body. You can see them on their back in branch-like structures. Some species of nudibranch can ingest the venomous parts of other creatures and then use them in their own spines to deter predators. These exposed gills can often be withdrawn or protected when the animal is disturbed.

The crested newt is a kind of salamander, an amphibian which inhabits regions around Turkey and Bulgaria. When we talk about this newt having gills, we have to distinguish between young and old specimens. Adult southern crested newts have pulmonary and cutaneous breathing (via the lungs and skin respectively). As with the vast majority of amphibians, this newt breathes through gills during its larval and juvenile stages. These gills allow young newts to take in oxygen while living in water. Some types of salamander such as the axolotl have their gills on the back of their heads even when adults.

Image: https://museumkiev.org/zoo/cadastre/triturus_karelinii_galery_en.html

Polychaetes are a class of annelids which are sometimes known as bristle worms. They are segmented worms with a multitude of hair-like protrusions that extend from both sides of their body. These animals usually breathe through the tegument, the outer covering of their body similar to the skin on other animals. However, for larger specimens, this type of breathing is not enough, so they need gills to get all the oxygen they need for survival. Depending on the species, these gills may be located on the body segments or among the bristles.

Octopuses are cephalopod mollusks whose main feature is the ability to camouflage themselves. These animals breathe through gills which are located inside the mantle cavity. They have a siphon through which they take in oxygen-rich water and expel carbon dioxide-rich water. The siphon can also direct the water in a particular direction, helping the octopus move through the water.

The yeti crab gets its name from both its white color and the fact it is covered in setae, bristle-like structures which look like hair. Many different types of bacteria are found on these setae, but their purpose is not yet fully known. It is a type of large hermit crab which can reach around 18 cm. They breathe through gills which are protected by their shell. Water reaches their gills through holes behind their eyes. Although they have eyes, the yeti crab is thought to be blind. The crab lives in deep-sea environments, where its gills help it obtain oxygen from the surrounding water.

The bullfrog is an anuran amphibian native to North America. It is considered an invasive species in other places of the American continent and Europe. For this reason, keeping a bullfrog as a pet is prohibited in certain countries. As with the rest of frog and toad species, tadpoles breathe through gills which disappear after metamorphosis. As they develop, their bodies change and they begin to rely on lungs and, in some cases, their skin for breathing.

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