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- Feb 6, 2001
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- John Clare
Perennibranchiate salamanders have gills for their entire lives. Examples include the Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) and Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus).
Giant salamanders, such as the Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis spp.) and other Cryptobranchids (Andrias japonicus and A. davidianus) can also be referred to as perennibranchiate. The clue here is in the name: "Cryptobranchus" - Hidden Gill. These salamanders have folds of skin that effectively act as external gills, but the fact that they work like gills is not obvious to the eye, hence the name. In essence, a gill is simply a structure that allows blood to carry out gaseous exchange with water, and the skin of most salamanders is capable of this to a lesser or greater degree. Cryptobranchids carry this to an extreme.
Jen: how about that?
Giant salamanders, such as the Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis spp.) and other Cryptobranchids (Andrias japonicus and A. davidianus) can also be referred to as perennibranchiate. The clue here is in the name: "Cryptobranchus" - Hidden Gill. These salamanders have folds of skin that effectively act as external gills, but the fact that they work like gills is not obvious to the eye, hence the name. In essence, a gill is simply a structure that allows blood to carry out gaseous exchange with water, and the skin of most salamanders is capable of this to a lesser or greater degree. Cryptobranchids carry this to an extreme.
Jen: how about that?
