CHAPTER 7

THE RESPIRATORY STRUCTURES AND BREATHING MECHANISMS OF THE FISH

 A bony fish has 4 pairs of gills, supported by a bony arch. The gills consist of two rows of gill filament numerous gill lamella. Each gill lamella is folded into gill plate, have thin walls & well supplied with blood capillaries to increase the surface area of the gills. Characteristics : Bony/Gill arches - To support the filaments. Filaments - Numerous (Increase the surface area for gaseous exchange). Thin Membrane - To ease the gases absorption. Many blood capillaries.

BREATHING MECHANISM OF FISH

Opens its mouth - lower the floor of the mouth - volume of the mouth is increased the pressure inside the mouth falls below that of the external pressure - water with high concentration of oxygen enter operculum close. Floor of the mouth is raise up - gaseous exchange occurs as water flows past the gills - the pressure in the mouth is increased - water then passes out through the operculum operculum then opens.

EXERCISES
1. Fishes have a respiratory structure called . . Bony fish have . pairs of gills which are protected by the . . 2. Each gill consist of . which are supported by a . . The filaments have a thin wall called . .

3. This structural adaptation of the gills : (a) . membranes to allow the absorption of respiratory gases into the blood capillaries. (b) Rich of blood . for efficient exchange and transport of respiratory gases. (c) Surrounded by . which enable respiratory gases to be . . (d) Large surface area of filaments and lamellae for efficient . exchange.
4. The efficiency of gaseous exchange is further enhanced by the . exchange mechanism.

a. The . flows over the ....... in one direction. b. The . flows in the . direction through blood capillaries in the . . c. As the . blood enters the blood capillaries, it . water with s higher oxygen content. d. Along the blood capillaries, the concentration . allows the transfer of oxygen into the blood. e. However, the concentration of CO2 in blood is . than in water, makes the CO2 . from blood into water. f. The efficiency of fish gills is further increased by . which is by opening & closing the operculum.

INHALATION The floor of the . is lowered. At the same time, the .. cavity is enlarged and the operculum closes. This lowers the . in the buccal cavity. Water with dissolved oxygen is drawn into the . .

EXHALATION When the mouth closes, the floor of the buccal cavity is . . Water flows out through the ... and gaseous exchange between the blood capillaries and water occurs. At the same time, the opercullar cavity becomes . . The pressure in the buccal cavity is higher than the pressure outside. The higher water pressure forces the operculum to . and water flow out through the operculum.

THE END !
A VIDEO PRESENTATION BY

AMANDA CHOI & ISSABELLE PEREIRA