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There are lots of fishes that breathe air, but there are no mammals that breathe water. Why? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of breathing either medium, and explain why air-breathing could evolve in water-breathers, but water-breathing would not re-evolve in air-breathers. Donning the hat of a "not-very-intelligent designer", design an efficient gas exchange organ of an imaginary water-breathing mammal, an endothermic homeotherm with stable core temperature of 38°C. Although evolution cannot "go back", you may tweak any of its symplesio- and synapomorphic characters as you wish, and endow it with novel autopomorphies without explaining how they have been acquired. Focus on making sure that its gas exchange organ(s) can function and sustain its metabolic rate. Apart from respiratory issues, what other problem does a mammal have to solve before it can really breathe water?

There are lots of fishes that breathe air, but there are no mammals that breathe water. Why? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of breathing either medium, and explain why air-breathing could evolve in water-breathers, but water-breathing would not re-evolve in air-breathers. Donning the hat of a "not-very-intelligent designer", design an efficient gas exchange organ of an imaginary water-breathing mammal, an endothermic homeotherm with stable core temperature of 38°C. Although evolution cannot "go back", you may tweak any of its symplesio- and synapomorphic characters as you wish, and endow it with novel autopomorphies without explaining how they have been acquired. Focus on making sure that its gas exchange organ(s) can function and sustain its metabolic rate. Apart from respiratory issues, what other problem does a mammal have to solve before it can really breathe water?

Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Chapter1: The Human Body: An Orientation
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ: The correct sequence of levels forming the structural hierarchy is A. (a) organ, organ system,...
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There are lots of fishes that breathe air, but there are no mammals that breathe water. Why? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of breathing either medium, and explain why air-breathing could evolve in water-breathers, but water-breathing would not re-evolve in air-breathers. Donning the hat of a "not-very-intelligent designer", design an efficient gas exchange organ of an imaginary water-breathing mammal, an endothermic homeotherm with stable core temperature of 38°C. Although evolution cannot "go back", you may tweak any of its symplesio- and synapomorphic characters as you wish, and endow it with novel autopomorphies without explaining how they have been acquired. Focus on making sure that its gas exchange organ(s) can function and sustain its metabolic rate. Apart from respiratory issues, what other problem does a mammal have to solve before it can really breathe water?
Transcribed Image Text:There are lots of fishes that breathe air, but there are no mammals that breathe water. Why? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of breathing either medium, and explain why air-breathing could evolve in water-breathers, but water-breathing would not re-evolve in air-breathers. Donning the hat of a "not-very-intelligent designer", design an efficient gas exchange organ of an imaginary water-breathing mammal, an endothermic homeotherm with stable core temperature of 38°C. Although evolution cannot "go back", you may tweak any of its symplesio- and synapomorphic characters as you wish, and endow it with novel autopomorphies without explaining how they have been acquired. Focus on making sure that its gas exchange organ(s) can function and sustain its metabolic rate. Apart from respiratory issues, what other problem does a mammal have to solve before it can really breathe water?
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