Definition of spiracles Spiracles

We found 3 definitions of spiracles from 2 different sources.

What does spiracles mean?

🔤

Noun Plural: spiracles
spiracle - a breathing orifice
		orifice, porta, opening an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity; "the orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the heart"
		blowhole the spiracle of a cetacean located far back on the skull

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

spiracle (Noun)
A pore or opening used especially by spiders and some fish for breathing.
spiracle (Noun)
The blowhole of a whale.
spiracle (Noun)
Any small aperture or vent for air or other fluid.

spiracle (n.)
The nostril, or one of the nostrils, of whales, porpoises, and allied animals.
spiracle (n.)
One of the external openings communicating with the air tubes or tracheae of insects, myriapods, and arachnids. They are variable in number, and are usually situated on the sides of the thorax and abdomen, a pair to a segment. These openings are usually elliptical, and capable of being closed. See Illust. under Coleoptera.
spiracle (n.)
A tubular orifice communicating with the gill cavity of certain ganoid and all elasmobranch fishes. It is the modified first gill cleft.
spiracle (n.)
Any small aperture or vent for air or other fluid.

spiracle
spir′a-kl, n. a breathing-hole: any minute passage.—adjs. Spirac′ular; Spirac′ulate; Spiraculif′erous; Spirac′uliform.—n. Spirac′ulum:—pl. Spirac′ula. [L. spiraculum, formed as a double dim. from spirāre, to breathe.]

Insects have small holes in their bodies that allow them to breathe. These holes are called spiracles. Air comes in the spiracles and goes to trachea, or tubes. These tubes take the oxygen to other parts of the insect body. Because insects have no lungs, air comes in and goes out of the spiracles passively (by itself). Some insects can open and close the spiracles to keep water out.

Some spiders also have spiracles.

Sharks and rays have a spiracle behind each eye. When the shark is not moving, the spiracle helps the shark to breathe.