Frog Breathing Explained: A Complete Guide To Frog Respiration

Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Sep 08, 2022 By Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Originally Published on Nov 23, 2021
Edited by Sarah Nyamekye
Fact-checked by Vikhaash Sundararaj
Frog breathing is a really cool method by which frogs can breathe on land and water.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 4.4 Min

Frogs are truly awesome creatures and their breathing technique and patterns are very interesting to study.

A frog's anatomy contains three pulmonary sites that it employs to transfer air with the environment. According to data, they are the skin or the epidermis, the lung, and the oral wall. Tadpole frogs use their gills for respiration, just as fish.

The frog's whole ventilation process occurs via the skin (acts as a ventilator) when entirely immersed. The epidermis is made up of a single layer of membranous tissue and muscles that is water-porous and has a dense capillary network.

Because of the thin membranous covering, breathing gases can easily pass along gradients among the vascular system and the local environment. Frog breathing in water and land is a different technique altogether.

Mucous glands on the epidermis maintain the frog's skin to be wet when it is outside the ponds or waters, and this aids in the absorption of oxygen.

Frog breathing, commonly called Glossopharyngeal breathing, is a pressurized respiration technique that uses the musculature of the mouth and throat to pump a large amount of air into the chest. Glossopharyngeal breathing is a fascinating process because of the way it changes when the frog matures into an adult.

Glossopharyngeal breathing is a method of inhaling oxygen at a quantity bigger than a patient's respiratory muscles can attain or higher than the patients' maximal respiratory rate capability. The method is performed by making the patient gulp a lot of air into the lungs through the open glottis to augment an inspiratory exertion.

This method of Glossopharyngeal breathing on a patient is also referred to as frog breathing. This is repeated in patients as it helps the patients cough and breath better.

Glossopharyngeal breathing can help those patients who have weaker respiratory muscles and are unable to inhale regularly on their own. Doctors at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Los Angeles first saw the procedure in polio patients in the late 1940s.

Whenever a frog's eggs emerge, it produces a wiggling tadpole that can only survive in water. Its gills allow it to inhale. Its gills receive air straight from the liquid they float in while also expelling carbon dioxide from the body. The gills are gradually eliminated as they age, and the process of frog breathing changes.

A frog drops the bottom of its mouth to force air into it, this allows the neck to widen. The nose then expands, enabling air into the enlarging mouth. When the nostrils shut, the oxygen in the mouth is driven into the chest by the constriction of the mouth's bottom.

If you like these collections of facts on frog breathing, check out how do amphibians breathe and how do gills work for more interesting facts.

How do frogs breathe underwater?

A frog can also inhale in the same way that humans do, by inhaling via their nose and exhaling from their chest. Nevertheless, the method for getting oxygen into the lung area and respiratory muscles differs slightly from that of people.

Frogs lack ribs and a diaphragm, which, in people, would assist to enlarge the chest, lower the pressure in the lungs, and enable external oxygen to stream in. Frogs possess lungs, much like humans, and they may perish if their lungs get water-filled.

Frogs may inhale and exhale via their skin as well. When they're submerged, they utilize their skin to acquire and gulp down air, but if there isn't enough oxygen to measure in the liquid, they'll be trapped in an air-less environment, and they will die.

How do frogs breathe on land?

Frogs inhale solely via their lungs on the ground or land, since air enters the buccal canal through the nose and subsequently the lungs.

As a result, frogs on the ground inhale via their lungs till they are fully mature. Frog breathing through skin mostly happens in water. If the quality of the air they take in through their respiratory organs is unable to meet a certain level, it may be very bad for the animal.

Frog breathing is the unique technique by which frogs can respire.

Parts And Functions Of The Respiratory System In Frogs

Because of its amphibious lifestyle, mature frogs breathe via their skin called cutaneous respiration, the wall of their buccopharyngeal canal or buccal breathing, and their lung or pulmonary breathing.

The epidermis and buccopharyngeal cavity provide most breathing needs, the lung is only employed when the necessity for air is extreme. The two lung organs are the primary systems for aerial breathing. The respiratory system's tract is the channel via which air enters and exits the lung.

When do frogs start breathing air?

A frog's anatomy goes through a change known as metamorphosis towards the conclusion of the tadpole phase, where it abruptly transforms into more of an adult phase and transforms into froglets.

Tadpoles shed their gills for water respiration and grow lungs for air inhalation. This also develops limbs to let it move on the ground. After three or four days of emerging, tadpoles of all genera expand their lungs and begin inhaling oxygen.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the article on frog breathing, then why not look at how frogs mate or poison dart frog facts?

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Written by Rajnandini Roychoudhury

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

Rajnandini Roychoudhury picture

Rajnandini RoychoudhuryBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

With a Master of Arts in English, Rajnandini has pursued her passion for the arts and has become an experienced content writer. She has worked with companies such as Writer's Zone and has had her writing skills recognized by publications such as The Telegraph. Rajnandini is also trilingual and enjoys various hobbies such as music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading classic British literature. 

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Fact-checked by Vikhaash Sundararaj

Bachelor of Fine Arts specializing in International Business

Vikhaash Sundararaj picture

Vikhaash SundararajBachelor of Fine Arts specializing in International Business

With a background in International Business Management, having completed his degree at the University of Hull. Vikhaash has volunteered with 'Teach For India' to help students create a monthly newsletter. In his free time, he enjoys sports and was the assistant captain of his school's hockey team. He has also gained marketing experience through an internship at Decathlon Sports India.

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