Monopterus albus is one of the common animals in China. It belongs to Osteichthyes, that is, fish. Fish have the structure of gills, and they basically breathe with gills, which is the common way of fish breathing. However, the eel is an exception. This is because their gills have degenerated and can not take on the task of breathing independently. When eels are newly hatched, there are many capillaries on the folds of their pectoral fins, and there are many similar structures in their yolk sacs. At this time, they breathe through these structures and can breathe in the water.
However, as the eels grow up, their yolk sacs and folds will gradually disappear, and their breathing patterns will change. At this stage, they mainly breathe through their mouths and throats. The way they breathe has changed so much that they can't breathe in the water, but can only breathe when they come into contact with oxygen in the air above the water. Generally speaking, when the eel breathes, it will erect the front half of its body out of the water, so that it can touch the air and breathe. They then store air in the throat before exchanging it with the inner wall. In addition, their epidermis can also play a certain role in gas exchange when exposed to air.
? As mentioned above, the respiratory organs used by the Monopterus albus are different at different stages. When the eels are newly hatched, their pectoral fins and yolk sacs are the respiratory organs they use. There are many capillaries in these structures, which can play a very important role in gas exchange. By the time eels reach adulthood, their mouth and throat are the respiratory organs they use, and their pectoral fins and yolk sacs have degenerated or disappeared. There are also many capillaries in the mouth and throat, which can play a role in gas exchange. The epidermis also plays a role in respiration.
