book lung

book lung

noun
the respiratory organ of a spider, scorpion, or other arachnid, composed of thin, membranous structures arranged like the leaves of a book.

Origin:
1895–1900
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To book lung

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Book lung is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
book lung   (bk)  Pronunciation Key 
The breathing organ of scorpions, spiders, and some other arachnids. It consists of membranes arranged in several parallel folds like the pages of a book.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

book lung

form of respiratory organ found in certain air-breathing arachnid arthropods (scorpions and some spiders). Each book lung consists of a series of thin plates that are highly vascular (i.e., richly supplied with blood) and are arranged in relation to each other like the pages of a book. These plates extend into an internal pouch formed by the external skeleton that opens to the exterior by a small slit. This provides an extensive surface for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with the surrounding air. There are four pairs in scorpions and up to two in spiders.

Learn more about book lung with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT