Cutaneous respiration

Cutaneous respiration may be the sole method of gas exchange, or may accompany other forms, such as ventilation.

Cutaneous respiration occurs in a wide variety of organisms, including insects, amphibians, fish, sea snakes, turtles, and to a lesser extent in mammals.

[2] Cutaneous respiration in hellbenders accounts for more than 90 percent of oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide excretion.

However, small amounts of respiration may occur, and in bats, the highly vascularized wings may account for up to 12 percent of carbon dioxide excretion.

In the Julia Creek dunnart the newborns are extremely small, and 95% of their gas exchange happens via their skin.