Topic summary
Crocodile monitor
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Varanus salvadorii.
Respiration
Like many monitor species, the crocodile monitor has mammal-like aerobic abilities; a positive pressure gular pump in the animal's throat assists lung ventilation. Unlike most lizards that cannot breathe efficiently while running, because of Carrier's constraint, the gular pump of monitor lizards enables them to overcome the effect of one lung at a time being compressed by their running gait. The evolutionary development of the gular pump is functionally analogous to that of the diaphragm in mammals, which ventilates the lung independently of locomotion. Even amongst monitors, the crocodile monitor is one of the most agile species, quickly running up tree trunks and leaping from branch to branch. Investigation supports the idea that gular breathing is an evolutionary development that masks the effect of Carrier's constraint.