Question

Styles Styles Pane 2) a. Using the scientific literature, find the respiratory surface area for two non mammal and non bird species from different lineages of animals (a snake and fish for instance or insect and a octopus) (include the species name and body mass). b. Compute the body surface area and body volume of 10 g and 200 kg mammal using the equation SA 10 x body mass0 667 where SA is in cm2 and body mass is in grams as we did in class. Compute the lung surface area and lung volume predicted from the equations used in the class power points also found in attached papers by Maina (references below). Compare the lung and body volumes and the lung surface area and body surface area at each body mass and comment. Hint: What happens if you take the ratio of the equations. Is the pattern clearly now? Maina, J.N., 2000. Comparative respiratory morphology: themes and principles in the design and construction of the gas exchangers. The Anatomical Record, 261(1), pp.25-44 OR Maina, J. N. 2000. What it takes to fly: the structural and functional respiratory refinements in birds and bats. The Journal of Experimental Biology 203, 3045-3064

Answer 1

a)

- Gill arches of Chaenocephalus aceratus, it is a fish that resides in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, it has a respiratory surface area of 1.2 to 1.84 cm² / 1 g of body weight.

- The snake Pituophis melanoleucus, it has a respiratory surface area of 2 cm² / g  of body weight.