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Some turtles can breathe through their rear ends.

Ikigai Daily

ScienceNature

Why it matters

The idea in context

Certain freshwater turtles have a chamber near the tail, the cloaca, lined with blood-rich tissue that can pull oxygen straight from the water. This 'cloacal respiration' lets a few species stay submerged for months through winter without ever surfacing for air. It is one of evolution's stranger solutions — a way to keep breathing without breathing at all.

Türkçe

Aynı kart, başka bir dilde.

Bazı tatlısu kaplumbağaları, kloakları aracılığıyla sudan oksijen alabilir.

Bazı tatlısu kaplumbağalarında, kuyruğa yakın kloak bölgesinde kan damarlarınca zengin dokular bulunur; bu dokular oksijeni doğrudan sudan alabilir. Bu 'kloakal solunum', birkaç türün kış boyunca aylarca, hava almak için hiç yüzeye çıkmadan su altında kalmasını sağlar. Evrimin daha sıra dışı çözümlerinden biridir: klasik anlamda nefes almadan oksijen almanın bir yolu.

Source trail

Read beyond the card.

New verified fact batch 2026-07-05.

Background reading: Cloacal respirationAttribution and context are revised when stronger evidence appears. Corrections are welcome through the editorial page.
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