How some turtles breath underwater

Capt'n Midnight

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8693000/8693794.stm

Of freshwater turtles, some cannot breathe underwater, while others do so via their skin.

Other species, such as the side-necked turtles of Australia, cope by using specialised cavities in their rear, known as cloacal bursae, to draw in water and remove the oxygen.

Such turtles often need to spend long periods of time underwater, where they hibernate, remaining asleep and still, not feeding and slowing their metabolic rate down.

"Musk turtles, however, lack cloacal bursae and their skin is relatively thick and lacks a well developed capillary network," Mr Heiss told the BBC.

So how these turtles can spend months underwater without coming to the surface has remained a mystery, as they cannot take in enough oxygen through their skin.

"We found the large papillae in the throat and were immediately fascinated," says Mr Heiss.

He and his colleagues believe the musk turtle's tongue is likely to be an ancient trait.

Turtles are among the longest surviving group of higher land vertebrates, known as amniotes, having persisted for 220 million years.

Prof.Badass

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8693000/8693794.stm

Other species, such as the side-necked turtles of Australia, cope by using specialised cavities in their rear, known as cloacal bursae, to draw in water and remove the oxygen.

:eek:. Th..the...they br...br...breathe through their ass :D:D?

:D:D:D:D

Gannicus

Prof.Badass wrote: »

:eek:. Th..the...they br...br...breathe through their ass :D:D?

:D:D:D:D

I couldn't believe it at first when I read it either. thats like a shocking amount of farts.

del88

I've heard of some large biped mammals talking through their a$$ but never breathing......:D