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When a crayfish is not walking, how does water move over the gills?

Question #94882. Asked by wwiivarn.

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Answer has 4 votes
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triviapaul star
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Answer has 4 votes.

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This is one of the reasons crayfish almost exclusively live in (fast) flowing water: when the water moves they don't have to. Since their gills are located on their "legs", they just have to wave them around a lot to breathe, which they indeed do.

The following paragraph is about insects, but it should be similar for arthropods.
"However, water surrounding the insect can become oxygen-depleted if there is no water movement, so many aquatic insects in still water actively direct a flow of water over their bodies. They flap alot."

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayfish
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapod_anatomy
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill#Invertebrate_gills

Apr 21 2008, 6:07 AM
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