Crocodiles breathe like birds

Researchers from the University of Utah (University of Utah), United States, found that crocodiles breathe like birds: their lungs leak air in one direction only. This discovery will help shed light on how the ancestors of dinosaurs evolved.

In birds air during inhalation and exhalation moves in one direction, which ensures the smooth flow of oxygen in the blood, said «Science News». But the birds have special air sacs that are no crocodiles, so the scientists could not understand how the alligators performed at the bird way to gas exchange.

The discovery was made as a result of a series of experiments: six crocodiles implanted into the lungs instruments that measure the speed and direction of air flow; in four dead animals were excised lungs and air is pumped therethrough; into the lungs of dead crocodiles pumped solution with fluorescent markers and follow the direction of fluid flow. As it turned out, the air in the lungs of alligators always moves unidirectionally, so maybe, crocodiles - distant relatives of birds.

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via factroom.ru