Functional morphology of gills in larval amphibians (original) (raw)

Abstract

Scanning electron microscopy and vascular casting were used to study the morphology and vascular anatomy of the fully developed internal gills of Litoria ewingi tadpoles and the external gills of mexican axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum.

The exchange units in L. ewingi consist of simple capillary loops in which blood flow should be well described by the Poiseuille relation. The random orientation of loops implies that there is no special con- or contra-flow arrangement of blood and water flows. In A. mexicanum gills blood flows through exchange sites comprising a double sheet of capillary space where the mathematics of sheet flow probably apply.

In both species, the gills are regarded as being important sites of aquatic gas exchange.

Branchial shunts linking afferent and efferent branchial arteries are present in both species.

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Author notes

1. Rosemary McIndoe
   Present address: Department of Zoology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
2. D. G. Smith
   Present address: Natural History Unit, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, P.O. Box 9994 G.P.O., Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia

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1. Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
   Rosemary McIndoe & D. G. Smith

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1. Rosemary McIndoe
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2. D. G. Smith
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1. Department of Zoology, University of Adelaide, G.P.O. Box 498, 5001, Adelaide, S.A., Australia
   Roger S. Seymour

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© 1984 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht

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McIndoe, R., Smith, D.G. (1984). Functional morphology of gills in larval amphibians. In: Seymour, R.S. (eds) Respiration and metabolism of embryonic vertebrates. Perspectives in vertebrate science, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6536-2\_4

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