Abstract
The jaw and hyoidean movements and the activity of certain of the muscles which cause these movements have been correlated with hydrostatic pressures in the irrigation system of the bullfrog tadpole. The jaws are capable of three modes of expression: narrow opening, wide opening, and protrusion. During inspiration the initial depression of the buccal floor is passive; active depression occurs near the end of the inspiration phase.Water flows continuously from the gill cavity and is most effusive at the onset of inspiration. Intermittent variations in the amplitude of irrigation result from natural and experimental irritation of the gill cavity. These variations, or hyperirrigations, are correlated with the activity of special muscle fibers, called fibrillic fibers, in the H1c, H2a, H3a, and B4 muscles. The respective contributions to rhythmic irrigation of the alternating buccal and pharyngeal pumps depend on ambient temperature. An auxiliary branchial force pump behind the gill clefts is powered by the H3a muscle in the soft opercular skin.
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