Spiracles - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about Spiracles Printer Friendly
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spiracle
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spiracle

In insects, the opening of a trachea, through which oxygen enters the body and carbon dioxide is expelled. In cartilaginous fishes (sharks and rays), the same name is given to a circular opening that marks the remains of the first gill slit.

In tetrapod vertebrates, the spiracle of early fishes has evolved into the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear cavity with the pharynx.



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