Today, let's enjoy some tadpoles' special way of breathing: sucking a small bubble out of the water.

tadpoles breathe on their cheeks at the beginning of their lives, but they also develop lungs and begin to breathe air near the surface of the water. Especially when the oxygen content in the water is not enough, the oxygen supply from the air is very important for their survival.

the researchers observed the way tadpoles of five species breathe air near the surface of the water and found that their breathing movements were somewhat special. These tadpoles do not put their heads directly above the liquid surface, but suck on the liquid surface, suck out a bubble, then squeeze out the needed gas to supply the lungs, and finally spit out the excess gas.

the whole process is actually very fast, and what we see is 600fps high-speed photography. Species in the picture: North American forest frog (Rana sylvatica).

Why not probe directly above the liquid level? The researchers think the tadpoles are probably limited by surface tension. Under the action of the surface tension of water, the interface between air and water becomes a bit like an elastic film barrier. A large animal like man can hardly feel the hindrance of the water surface, but its effect on small objects is much greater. Under the action of surface tension, small insects can stand on the surface of the water without crossing it, and it will be difficult for small aquatic creatures to cross the surface to get in touch with the air. By contrast, it may be easier to stay below the liquid surface and suck the bubbles.

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Research Source: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.2704