Fish have only two chambers in their hearts, which pump blood directly to the gills for oxygenation before it is circulated to the rest of the body.
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Fish have only two chambers in their hearts, which pump blood directly to the gills for oxygenation before it is circulated to the rest of the body.
Fish hearts differ from those of other vertebrates by having a two-chambered structure. The fish heart consists of an atrium and a ventricle, with blood pumped in a single circuit through the gills and then to the rest of the body. This simple design facilitates oxygenation in aquatic environments. In contrast, mammals, birds, and some reptiles have four-chambered hearts, featuring two atria and two ventricles. This separation enables a more efficient separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, suitable for the demands of a terrestrial lifestyle with higher energy requirements and a more complex respiratory system.