There are a variety of animals that are capable of breathing both air and water. These animals, which are known as amphibians, live both in and out of the water because they absorb oxygen through their skin as well as through the water and air.
Examples of amphibians that breathe both air and water include frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, mudpuppies, and caecilians. Frogs and toads are the most well-known amphibians, as they are found in almost every corner of the world.
They have large lungs, which they use to breathe air as well as absorb oxygen from the water through their skin. Salamanders, newts, and mudpuppies are aquatic amphibians, and their skin must remain wet in order for them to take oxygen from the water.
Finally, caecilians are limbless amphibians that resemble worms and burrow underground for oxygen. They have a pair of lungs and do not have gills like fish — instead, they take oxygen directly from the soil.
What animal lives in water but needs air?
Many animals live in water such as fish, amphibians, crustaceans, marine mammals and even reptiles. Most of these aquatic animals need air to survive and so have evolved ways to get air from the surface.
Fish, for example, come to the surface to gulp air through their mouths while some fish, such as the humpback anglerfish and the African lungfish, have evolved lungs enabling them to breathe in air directly.
Similarly, amphibians such as frogs, toads and salamanders, require access to the atmosphere for oxygen and so must come to the surface for air. Some aquatic animals such as the Cuban crocodile and the Amazonian manatee rely on bubble rings to capture air from the surface, allowing them to stay underwater for extended periods of time.
Some sea creatures, such as cuttlefish, have also evolved special organs that can absorb oxygen directly from the water, enabling them to stay underwater for extended periods.
Do animals that live in water need oxygen to survive?
Yes, animals that live in water need oxygen to survive, just like all other animals. All organisms require oxygen to sustain their cell’s metabolic processes. Much like human beings, aquatic animals take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide through the process of respiration.
Most aquatic animals breathe oxygen from the water, which they extract with the help of their specialized respiratory organs. Some aquatic animals, such as crabs, mollusks, shrimp, and frogs, have gills that allow them to extract dissolved oxygen from the water.
Fish and other aquatic creatures can also take oxygen from the air above the water’s surface. Aquatic plants also produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, which aquatic animals can use to survive.
In areas where the water is oxygen-deficient, some animals may rely on extracting oxygen from the mud and sediment at the bottom of the water body.
What aquatic animals come up for air?
Aquatic animals that come up for air include marine mammals such as dolphins, whales, walruses, and seals. Other animals like sea otters and manatees also need to come up to the surface to breathe air.
Fish and other aquatic creatures such as octopuses, squid, and amphibians also need to come to the surface to breathe air. Animals like turtles, sea lions, and sharks also come to the surface to breathe air.
Some aquatic animals, such as frogs and crocodiles, do not come to the surface to breathe air as they have adapted to breathe through their skin.
Which animal always lives in water but has no gills for breathing?
The platypus is an animal that always lives in water but has no gills for breathing. Instead, it has a highly developed and specialized respiratory system that allows it to remain submerged for extended periods of time.
Platypuses are part of a small group of semi-aquatic mammals called monotremes, which also includes the echidna. These animals are the only known species that lay eggs and lactate at the same time.
When in water, platypuses close their nostrils and ears to keep water out. They are also able to send 70% of the oxygen they breathe directly to their muscles and organs, enabling them to stay underwater for up to 10 minutes without needing to surface for air.
They also have a thick, waterproof fur which helps keeps them insulated and warm in icy temperatures.
On land, platypuses eat insects, worms, and other small creatures. However, when in water, they feed on crayfish, shrimp, and some small fish. All of their food is found on the bottom of streams and rivers, so platypuses must search through gravel and mud in order to find it.
To help them do so, they use their sensitive bill and webbed feet to sweep through the sediment until they find what they’re looking for.
The platypus is a unique species that has adapted into its semi-aquatic lifestyle through its specialized anatomy and behavior. Although it has no gills for breathing, its unique respiratory system allows it to remain submerged for long periods of time.
In addition to its respiratory adaptations, the platypus has also developed webbed feet, fur, and a specialized bill to help it find food and survive in its aquatic habitat.
Do water animals need air?
Yes, water animals need air, just like most other animals. Even though many species of water animals are adapted to living underwater, they still must come to the surface for air. Aquatic animals usually breathe air that is dissolved in the water, but some must surface regularly to take in fresh air.
Fish, for example, absorb oxygen from the water through their gills, but require access to the surface in order to access atmospheric oxygen while they are submerged in water. Other aquatic creatures, such as amphibians, have lungs and must actively bring air into their bodies by sucking it in and out of their lungs.
Mammals such as dolphins, whales, and seals must come to the surface to breath air into their lungs. Some aquatic insects, like dragonfly nymphs, breathe with gills, while water striders simply use atmospheric oxygen.
Even aquatic organisms such as plankton, algae, and bacteria require oxygen in order to survive, and obtain it by exchanging oxygen with the atmosphere. In short, all water animals, regardless of their shape, size, or type, require oxygen and access to the atmosphere in order to survive.
Are there water breathing mammals?
Yes, there are several species of mammal that can breathe underwater for extended periods of time. The five species of mammals that have been documented as being able to breathe underwater are the sea otter, the beaver, the hippopotamus, the whales, and the walrus.
All of these animals have adapted to life underwater in different ways. Sea otters have a specially adapted fur that allows them to remain watertight and hydrodynamic, allowing them to be effective hunters in the ocean.
Beavers can close off their airways with fur and have special glands that produce an impermeable wax to keep their fur dry. The Hippopotamus stores a supply of oxygen in its nose so it can stay underwater for up to 5 minutes at a time.
Whales and dolphins have adapted to live underwater by developing a specialized respiratory system and a muscular, inflatable snout that helps them filter ocean water. Lastly, the walrus has adapted through its ability to slow down its heart rate and metabolic rate in order to stay submerged for up to thirty minutes.
Each of these species is a remarkable example of the incredible adaptations that can occur in animals that live in aquatic environments.
Are there any animals with gills and lungs?
Yes, there are a few different animals that possess both gills and lungs. These animals are typically amphibious species that are capable of operating in both aquatic and aerial environments. Examples include many fish, such as mudskippers, bichirs, and lungfish, as well as some amphibians like the midwife toad and the Mexican axolotl.
These animals often have specially adapted, dual systems that allow them to switch between breathing through lungs and through gills depending on the environment they are in. For instance, mudskippers possess both gills and rudimentary lungs, which they use to obtain oxygen from the air when submerged in water.
They also feature four-chambered hearts, which help distribute oxygen throughout the body. Similarly, bichirs and lungfish are able to carry out gas exchange between air and water with their lungs, allowing them to survive in both water and on land.
Which fish take oxygen from air?
The most common of these is the African Lungfish, found in tropical regions of Africa. This fish breathes air through its lung-like organs, allowing it to survive in shallow, oxygen-poor waters. Other species of air-breathing fish include South American air-breathing Catfish, the Tambaqui of the Amazon River, and the boga of South America.
All of these species are able to survive in waters where oxygen levels are too low to sustain other forms of life. In addition, some carp fish, such as the crucian carp, have the ability to breathe air through their mouths while they are buried in the bottom of ponds or streams.
This allows them to survive in water without a steady supply of oxygen.
Is there a fish with lungs and gills?
Yes, there are fish with both lungs and gills. These kinds of fish are known as amphibious fish, as they are capable of living and breathing both in water and on land. Examples of amphibious fish include the African Mud Fish and the Walking Catfish.
The African Mud Fish is most active during the rainy season, when it is able to move freely on land in search of food. Its gills allow it to breathe underwater, while its lungs help the fish breathe when it is on land.
The Walking Catfish is capable of breathing on land for up to six hours at a time, thanks to its specialized air-breathing organ located in its throat. Its gills allow it to take in oxygen from the water as well.
Both of these species are able to move around easily on land, although they are still more adapted for a life underwater.
Can lungfish live on land?
Yes, lungfish are capable of living on land. Lungfish are primitive fish that evolved millions of years ago and have unique adaptations that make them capable of living both in water and on land. They have four paired lung-like organs, which are used to absorb oxygen from the air, allowing them to survive in water with little oxygen, and even beyond.
These organs also allow them to breathe air and survive on land for extended periods of time. In addition, lungfish are able to move between water and land more easily than other fish thanks to their four pairs of muscular fins, which act as their feet.
This means that lungfish can survive out of water for months at a time, and even burrow under the ground into wet, oxygen-filled mud or sand to stay alive during dry periods.
Do fish get thirsty?
No, fish do not get thirsty. This is because they live in water and take in the necessary amount of fluids from their environment to survive. Fish are able to absorb water through their gills and other body tissues, along with their bodies automatically conserving water lost from respiration and excretion.
In some instances, fish in captivity may appear to be searching for water in the absence of a water source since their bodies become accustomed to easy access, but in nature, fish do not get thirsty.
Are lung fish still alive?
Yes, lungfish are still alive, though they are considered endangered in some areas. Lungfish are an ancient group of fish that evolved about 400 million years ago, and the six existing species are the only remaining survivors of this lengthy lineage.
These fish are found mostly in warm, shallow waters with low oxygen levels such as ponds, swamps, and rivers in tropical and subtropical regions. As their name implies, lungfish possess a unique adaptation – air-breathing organs.
This unique feature allows them to survive in waters that would be insufficient in oxygen for other species of fish. Lungfish are also highly evolved predators, with some of these fish able to grow up to nearly three feet in length.
As a result of deforestation, pollution, and their limited range, lungfish are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The major threats facing these fish include overfishing, siltation, and habitat loss.
Conservation efforts are being made in some areas, such as reintroduction programs and habitat protection.
Do fish have blood?
Yes, fish have blood, although it often looks different than human blood. Fish have a specialized circulatory system that pumps a copper-based liquid called hemolymph rather than a red liquid, as humans do.
This hemolymph contains oxygen just like human blood and circulates throughout a fish’s body. Fish also have a heart, and the blood travels throughout the fish’s body to deliver oxygen-rich blood to their organs, muscles and tissues, just like human blood does.
Can fish live in liquid oxygen?
No, fish cannot live in liquid oxygen. Fish require oxygen to survive and liquid oxygen does not contain enough of this essential gas for fish to live in it. Liquid oxygen is a highly reactive, low temperature liquid form of oxygen, usually produced by fractional distillation of the atmosphere, and it is very dangerous for humans or animals to come into contact with.
It is also very difficult to store and contain liquid oxygen. Additionally, fish cannot survive in its environment since liquid oxygen has a boiling point of -183. 8°C, most fish would freeze to death in liquid oxygen.
Overall, it is not possible for fish to live in liquid oxygen. It is not only unsafe, but it is also too cold and their gills would not be able to extract the oxygen they need. Therefore, it is not suitable for them to inhabit.