Respiration

Phylum Annelida: Respiration

Aquatic Annelids mostly breathe through gills. Some of these aquatic annelids have brightly coloured gills that protrude from the opening from the worms burrow. Other annelids have small delicate gills along side of their body. Tube dwelling annelids breathe by fanning water though their burrows. The oxygen in the water is taken into the water and carbon dioxide is breathed out. Because of the aquatic annelids having this exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, it is essential that these gills are kept moist. If the gills are not kept moist the annelids will eventually die because it cannot respire.