Amphibians Breathe With Lungs

Tadpoles and some aquatic amphibians have gills like fish that they use to breathe.

Amphibians breathe with lungs. While oxygen is plentiful in the air 200000 parts per million it is considerably less accessible in water 15 parts per million in cool flowing water. Adult amphibians are lacking or have a reduced diaphragm so breathing via lungs is forced. Most amphibians however are able to exchange gases with the water or air via their skin.

As amphibian larvae develop the gills and in frogs the tail fin degenerate paired lungs develop and the metamorphosing larvae begin making excursions to the water surface to take air breaths. Amphibians are the first true vertebrates with four limbs. Most amphibians breathe through lungs and their skin.

At a later stage of life amphibians develop lungs and legs and move out of the water to live on land. The reptiles lung has a much greater surface area for the exchange of gases than the lungs of amphibians. When a toad is inactive the skin usually absorbs enough oxygen to meet its needs.

In order to breathe they must make convulsive movements with their throat in order to generate air in and out. Frogs despite having 2 lungs lack a diaphragm and respiratory muscles. Their skin has to stay wet in order for them to absorb oxygen so they secrete mucous to keep their skin moist if they get too dry they cannot breathe and will die.

The lungs of amphibians are simple saclike structures that internally lack the complex spongy appearance of the lungs of birds and mammals. Tadpoles are frog larvae. Amphibians have a unique respiratory system that doesnt rely entirely on a single source of oxygen.

Amphibians may breathe with lungs gills or through their skin. A few amphibians dont bother with lungs and instead absorb oxygen through their skin. The amphibian tadpole resembles a fish.