Branchial Cleft (Noun)
Meaning
One of a series of slit openings in the pharynxes of fishes and aquatic amphibians through which water passes.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- In the embryo of the frog, the first branchial cleft develops into the mouth of the tadpole.
- The branchial clefts in this species of fish have a highly developed system of gills that allow for efficient exchange of gases.
- If the water flows quickly through the branchial clefts, it may be expelled rapidly enough to aid in propulsion.
- Each branchial cleft contains a gill raker, a bony or cartilaginous structure that supports the gills.
- During embryonic development, the incomplete closure of the branchial clefts can result in anomalies such as preauricular fistulas.