Internal fish anatomy - gills and respiration

Question 1

What are the gills equivalent to in fish?

Answer 1

• lungs

Question 2

What do the gills do with the oxygen?

Answer 2

• diffuse oxygen from the water into the bloodstream

Question 3

What is the process of water through the system?

Answer 3

• take water in through the mouth and expel it through the gills

Question 4

What is the breathing process in fish?

Answer 4

The breathing process begins when the gill covers close and the mouth opens.

→ The walls of the mouth expand outward, drawing water into the mouth.

→ The walls of the mouth then move inward, the mouth closes, and the gill covers open. This action forces the water from the mouth into the gill chambers.

→ In each chamber, the water passes over the gill filaments. They absorb oxygen from the water and replace it with carbon dioxide formed during the breathing process.

→ The water then passes out through the gill openings, and the process is repeated.

Question 5

How can some fish breathe atmospherically? + examples

Answer 5

via a specific labyrinth chamber in the head (e.g. kissing gourami, Siamese fighting fish)