in amphibians, what function does the cloaca serve? course hero

by Marta Konopelski 10 min read

A cloaca is an orifice through which urine and feces are eliminated in birds, reptiles, amphibians, and a few branches of the mammal family tree. It also serves a reproductive function like the vagina in females of these species, and also performs the function of sperm ejaculation in males of some species.

Full Answer

What is the function of a cloaca?

What animals can use cloacas?

What does Cloaca mean?

Do birds have cloacas?

Do cloacas give birth?

What is the function of a cloaca?

Cloaca Function. The cloaca serves as a waste-elimination point for both urine and feces. In animals with cloacas, both the intestinal and urinary tracts end at the cloaca. This makes it the animal’s all-purpose waste-elimination site. The cloaca also serves the function of the vagina in females, and in some species serves a function similar ...

What animals can use cloacas?

Gila monsters, doves, and possibly other animals can use their cloacas to cool their bodies in hot environments. Scientists first noticed this because the gila monster – a desert lizard – can actually inflate its cloaca and cool its body through cloacal evaporation.

What does Cloaca mean?

The term cloaca comes from the Latin verb “cluo,” for “to cleanse.”. Cloaca is a noun form which could be translated to mean “cleansing place, ” “drain,” or “sewer.”. That is fitting for its role as the exit point for urine and feces. For females of species who have cloaca, it is where males deposit sperm.

Do birds have cloacas?

For females of species who have cloaca, it is where males deposit sperm. In some species – most birds, for example – both males and females use their cloacas to mate. Most birds mate by having their cloacas “kiss,” during which time sperm is transferred from the male’s cloaca into the female’s.

Do cloacas give birth?

Female animals with cloacas receive sperm, lay eggs, and give birth through their cloacas. In some species, males secrete sperm through their cloacas, and mate by having the male and female cloacas “kiss” so that sperm transfer can occur. However, this is not universal: some cloaca-possessing species also have penises.

Answer

it is a common path for the excretion of digestive wastes and genital products.

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What is the function of a cloaca?

Cloaca Function. The cloaca serves as a waste-elimination point for both urine and feces. In animals with cloacas, both the intestinal and urinary tracts end at the cloaca. This makes it the animal’s all-purpose waste-elimination site. The cloaca also serves the function of the vagina in females, and in some species serves a function similar ...

What animals can use cloacas?

Gila monsters, doves, and possibly other animals can use their cloacas to cool their bodies in hot environments. Scientists first noticed this because the gila monster – a desert lizard – can actually inflate its cloaca and cool its body through cloacal evaporation.

What does Cloaca mean?

The term cloaca comes from the Latin verb “cluo,” for “to cleanse.”. Cloaca is a noun form which could be translated to mean “cleansing place, ” “drain,” or “sewer.”. That is fitting for its role as the exit point for urine and feces. For females of species who have cloaca, it is where males deposit sperm.

Do birds have cloacas?

For females of species who have cloaca, it is where males deposit sperm. In some species – most birds, for example – both males and females use their cloacas to mate. Most birds mate by having their cloacas “kiss,” during which time sperm is transferred from the male’s cloaca into the female’s.

Do cloacas give birth?

Female animals with cloacas receive sperm, lay eggs, and give birth through their cloacas. In some species, males secrete sperm through their cloacas, and mate by having the male and female cloacas “kiss” so that sperm transfer can occur. However, this is not universal: some cloaca-possessing species also have penises.