Animals which breathe through lungs

Most amphibians start life in the water, using gills to breathe -- and tadpoles actually use their tail fins. In most cases, as they grow, their gills deteriorate and their lungs develop. Lung structure varies even among amphibians, but often their lungs are basically empty sacs. A few amphibians have lungs with alveoli , the little balloonlike structures that in many species transfer oxygen between the lungs and the bloodstream.

Amphibians don't have diaphragms to move air into the lungs; instead, they use their mouths to force air into their lungs. Amphibians using lungs to breathe include frogs , toads , salamanders and newts. Reptiles have more complicated lung structures than amphibians, because they rely primarily on their lungs to for gas exchange. Reptiles don't have diaphragms to inflate their lungs; most expand their body walls and rib cages to take in air.

Crocodiles and alligators inflate their lungs via a special muscle attached to their livers. Reptiles with lungs include crocodiles , alligators , turtles , tortoises and snakes. We all know the basics of how our lungs work. We breathe in, filling both of our lungs with fresh air rich in oxygen that fuels our body before exhaling air and waste carbon dioxide. But in the animal kingdom, lungs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some animals can hold their breath up to 90 minutes, while others don't even need lungs to breathe!

Here are a few of our favorite facts about animal lungs. This November your donation goes even further to improve lung health and defeat lung cancer. Double Your Gift. Your tax-deductible donation funds lung disease and lung cancer research, new treatments, lung health education, and more. Join over , people who receive the latest news about lung health, including COVID, research, air quality, inspiring stories and resources.

It occurs in every cell in your body. Get a better view of the cell. So what is respiration? During normal human respiration, glucose a type of sugar that you get from food reacts with oxygen to produce energy.

The energy is needed for growth, repair and movement. Water and carbon dioxide are bi-products of respiration - they need to be excreted. So why do people get respiration confused with breathing? Well, respiration usually requires oxygen, and animals get their oxygen by breathing.

Read on to find out more!