How Do Spiders Breathe?
WouterWhen you think of spiders, one thing that comes to mind is the respiratory system. The respiratory system of spiders is made up of two kinds of organs. One is the book lung, and the other is the trachea.
The book lung is the primary respiratory organ of spiders. It is a hollow structure filled with hemolymph, a special liquid similar to blood. This organ has many ‘pages’ that resemble leafy disks.
In many arachnids, there are several stacks of these ‘pages’. These ‘pages’ are connected to one another by tiny holes. These ‘pages’ can be folded, making a space that is wide enough for the exchange of gases.
Unlike mammals, spiders don’t have gills. They have a complex network of tubes that carry oxygen and carbon dioxide from the air to their bodies. Spiders are known to be able to stay underwater for up to 24 hours, though they usually need to surface and breathe for a short time.
As with humans, spiders rely on their other senses to determine their surroundings. Spiders can smell through hairs, and they are able to break down the chemical compositions of different scents.
Spiders breathe through a complex set of structures, called the trachea. Tracheae are long tubes that run through the body of the spider. Each of these tubes is connected to the rest of the spider’s body through tiny nerves.
The tracheae branch out from the book lungs and open to the surface through small holes. Most of the spiders in the world have tracheae, but some species don’t have them at all.
