NON-PULMONARY RESPIRATORY SURFACES OF THE CHELID TURTLE ELSEYA-LATISTERNUM

Authors
KING P HEATWOLE H
Citation
P. King et H. Heatwole, NON-PULMONARY RESPIRATORY SURFACES OF THE CHELID TURTLE ELSEYA-LATISTERNUM, Herpetologica, 50(3), 1994, pp. 262-265
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Zoology
Journal title
Herpetologica → ACNP
ISSN journal
00180831
Volume
50
Issue
3
Year of publication
1994
Pages
262 - 265
Database
ISI
SICI code
0018-0831(1994)50:3<262:NRSOTC>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
Three surfaces known to function in the aquatic respiration of Elseya latisternum were examined. The buccopharyngeal cavity showed no morpho logical specialization. The skin in front of the rear legs was heavily vascularized with two distinct capillary beds, one close to the epide rmis and one deeper. Specialized cloacal bursae had a musculature capa ble of pumping water in and out of the cloaca and highly vascularized processes protruding from the bursal wall into the lumen.