Hobbies And Interests
Cutaneous
Cutaneous respiration is when gases are exchanged through the skin, which many types of amphibians use including frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. In cutaneous respiration, gases pass through the skin and directly into blood vessels. This type of respiration is controlled by capillary density, amount of blood flow and blood vessel radius. Cutaneous respiration also allows amphibians to breathe underwater, as oxygen dissolved in the water is captured by the amphibian's skin.
Buccopharyngeal
In buccopharyngeal respiration, gas is exchanged between the buccal cavity and the pharynx through rapid pulses in the throat. Air is first sucked in through the nostrils to fill the buccopharyngeal cavity, then the throat is contracted. This forces the air from the buccopharyngeal cavity into the lungs, which expel the air through the throat. This type of respiration is less common than cutaneous, but is seen in most species of frogs.
Pulmonary
Pulmonary respiration is the use of simple paired lungs for respiration, like most land-dwelling animals. In amphibians, pulmonary systems are most often found in some species of salamanders and caecilians, the worm-like amphibians. In caecilians, especially those with thin bodies, the left lung is usually larger than the right.
Gills
Because of the two-stage life cycle of amphibians, most amphibians use gills as a form of respiration at some point in their lives. Gills use special blood vessels to trap dissolved oxygen in the water, not unlike cutaneous breathing. Most species of frogs and toads use gills when in the larval stage, which is also true of many salamanders. Some species rely on gills their entire lives, as with mudpuppy salamanders, which use gills as an adult.