Amphibians contain a three chamber heart that is made of two atria and a single ventricle. In a three chamber heart, the blood flows in the following order.
- The atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the veins. The oxygen has already been used by the body’s various organs.
- The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and skin. Oxygen can pass through the skin of many amphibians. Thus, the skin of many amphibians serves as a gas exchange organ.
- Both atria empty into the single ventricle. The ventricle is divided into tiny chambers that helps to prevent the mixing of the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood coming from the two atria.
- Contraction of the ventricle sends oxygenated blood to carotid arteries and then the brain.
- Contraction of the ventricle sends deoxygenated blood to pulmocutaneous arteries that takes blood to the skin and lungs in order to become oxygenated.
- Blood that passes through the aortic arches after the heart contracts delivers oxygen to the rest of the body.
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