RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Chelonia can make difficult anesthetic patients because they can easily switch to the dive reflex and employ anaerobic respiration (Fig. 3.19). They have the highest bicarbonate (HCO₃) level of all vertebrates, which helps them buffer lactic acid accumulation during anaero- biasis.

Figure 3.18 • Lymphatic neck ring in the Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) and European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis).