Respiratory System
As a result of the Bog Turtle's shell, it is unable to breathe like most other animals, by moving the ribs to fill the lungs with air. Rigid ribs constrain breathing.Bog Turtle ribs are firmly fixed to the shell's inside.Lungs are located at the top part of the shell.The turtle has two special sets of muscles to allow it to breathe.One set of muscles pulls the other body organs outward, away from the lungs. They are pulled toward the front and back of the shell. This expands the body and allows the lungs to fill with air.The second set of muscles pushes the organs against the lungs which forces the air back out.This system of breathing has apparent drawbacks, one being that inhaling and exhaling requires energy.When underwater, turtles find small pockets of oxygen.Turtles have gill like structures near the throat that allow them to breathe underwater.
As a result of the Bog Turtle's shell, it is unable to breathe like most other animals, by moving the ribs to fill the lungs with air. Rigid ribs constrain breathing.Bog Turtle ribs are firmly fixed to the shell's inside.Lungs are located at the top part of the shell.The turtle has two special sets of muscles to allow it to breathe.One set of muscles pulls the other body organs outward, away from the lungs. They are pulled toward the front and back of the shell. This expands the body and allows the lungs to fill with air.The second set of muscles pushes the organs against the lungs which forces the air back out.This system of breathing has apparent drawbacks, one being that inhaling and exhaling requires energy.When underwater, turtles find small pockets of oxygen.Turtles have gill like structures near the throat that allow them to breathe underwater.