spiracle
- spiracle
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/spuy"reuh keuhl, spir"euh-/, n.
1. a breathing hole; an opening by which a confined space has communication with the outer air; air hole.
2. Zool.
a. an aperture or orifice through which air or water passes in the act of respiration, as the blowhole of a cetacean.
b. an opening in the head of sharks and rays through which water is drawn and passed over gills.
c. one of the external orifices of the tracheal respiratory system of certain invertebrates, usually on the sides of the body. See diag. under
insect.
[1300-50; ME < L spiraculum air hole, equiv. to spira(re) to breathe + -culum -CLE2]
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in arthropods, the small external opening of a trachea (respiratory tube) or a book lung (breathing organ with thin folds of membrane resembling book leaves). Spiracles are usually found on certain thoracic and abdominal segments. In elasmobranch and ganoid fishes a pair of spiracles, derived from the gills, is used as a water passageway during respiration. The nasal opening of whales (
whale) and other cetaceans (
cetacean) is called a spiracle, as is the respiratory opening behind the eyes of rays (
ray) and skates (
skate). In tadpoles (
tadpole) the spiracle is the excurrent opening from the gill chamber.
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Universalium.
2010.
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Look at other dictionaries:
spiracle — [ spirakl ] n. m. • 1924; « soupirail » XVIe; lat. spiraculum ♦ Zool. Orifice de sortie de l eau qui a baigné les branchies, chez les têtards de batraciens anoures. ● spiracle nom masculin (latin spiraculum) Orifice de sortie de l eau qui a… … Encyclopédie Universelle
Spiracle — Spir a*cle, n.[L. spiraculum, fr. spirare to breathe: cf. F. spiracule. See {Spirit}.] 1. (Anat.) The nostril, or one of the nostrils, of whales, porpoises, and allied animals. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) (a) One of the external openings… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
spiracle — “air hole,” 1610s, from L. spiraculum, from spirare “to breathe” (see SPIRIT (Cf. spirit)) … Etymology dictionary
spiracle — ► NOUN Zoology ▪ an external respiratory opening in insects, cartilaginous fish, and other animals. DERIVATIVES spiracular adjective. ORIGIN Latin spiraculum, from spirare breathe … English terms dictionary
spiracle — [spir′ə kəl, spī′rəkəl] n. [ME < L spiraculum < spirare, to breathe: see SPIRIT] 1. a small opening allowing the outer air to come through into a confined space; air hole 2. Geol. a small vent formed on the surface of a thick lava flow 3.… … English World dictionary
Spiracle — Spiracles are small openings on the surface of some animals that usually lead to respiratory systems.In elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), a spiracle is found behind each eye, and is often used to pump water through the gills while the animal is at … Wikipedia
spiracle — noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin spiraculum, from spirare to breathe Date: 15th century 1. a breathing hole ; vent 2. a breathing orifice: as a. blowhole 2 b. an external tracheal aperture of a terrestrial arthropod that in an insect is … New Collegiate Dictionary
spiracle — a vestigial gill cleft between the eye and the gill slits in Elasmobranchii, Acipenseridae, Polyodontidae, and Polypteridae. Water for respiration is inhaled through the spiracles in Rajiformes. Connects with the gill cavity; often retains… … Dictionary of ichthyology
spiracle — n. [L. spirare, to breathe] (ARTHROPODA) A breathing pore or orifice leading to the tracheal or respiratory system; stigma; spiracular adj … Dictionary of invertebrate zoology
spiracle — noun /ˈspɪrəkəl/ a) A pore or opening used (especially by spiders and some fish) for breathing. b) The blowhole of a whale … Wiktionary
