Perennibranchiate, in

zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and ...

, is the condition of an organism retaining branchae, or

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

, through life. This condition is generally said of certain

amphibia Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

, such as the mudpuppy. The term is opposed to caducibranchiate. In some cases only a small proportion of a given amphibian population is perennibranchiate, but in other instances a preponderance of the individuals have an adult gill retention. For example, in the case of the Rough-skinned Newt in the

Cascade Mountains The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

populations, approximately ninety percent of the adult population is perennibranchiate.C. Michael Hogan, 2008

References

* William Benjamin Carpenter (1854) ''Principles of Comparative Physiology'', Published by Blanchard and Lea, 752 pages * C. Michael Hogan (2008) ''Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)'', Globaltwitcher, ed. Nicklas Stromber

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Amphibians {{amphibian-stub

See also

References

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