Question

What is true about panting (a means of cooling used by many animals)?
A. Rapidly increase carbon dioxide expiration
B. Moisten the mucosa of the respiratory passages
C. Decrease body heat via evaporation
D. None of the above

Answer 1

The abilities of the organism to maintain its body temperature within certain limits is known as thermoregulation. The organism maintains their body temperature even when the surrounding temperature is different. The body of the organism maintains a stable temperature to maintain steady state of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the state of maintaining an equilibrium of internal conditions with reference to the environment.

Complete step by step answer: Thermoregulation in organisms involves the maintenance of body temperature. On this basis organisms can be divided into two groups. Endotherms and Ectotherms. Ectotherms are cold blooded organisms that are dependent on an external source of temperature to maintain their body temperature. The endotherms create heat through most of their metabolic process and can maintain their body temperature irrespective of the changes that take place in the environment.
A warm-blooded animal regulates its own body temperature and keeps it at a constant level. The organism needs to regulate the temperature when the external temperature is very high. Animals such as dogs produce excess of water through the sweat gland present on the surface of the skin and across respiratory surfaces. The evaporation of this water produced by the sweat glands causes a decrease in body temperature and helps in cooling. Animals with a body covered by fur possess limited ability to sweat and depend on a process known as panting. Panting increases the evaporation of water across the moist surfaces of lungs, tongue and mouth. Panting helps in thermoregulation and keeps the body within a tolerance range of body temperature.
Therefore, the correct option is option C.

Additional Information: In warm environments mammals or warm-blooded animals use certain adaptations to maximize heat loss due to high environmental temperatures. The animals undergo behavioral adaptations like living in the burrows or shelters during the day. The animals increase the rate of evaporation and cooling by perspiration and panting. Certain adaptations such as storing fat reserves in one place and avoiding the insulation affect elongated vascularized vessels that conduct body heat to the air are utilized by the animals.

Note: The thermal regulation of the body is necessary to be maintained at a particular level and is essential for different processes. Due to increase in temperature, the body temperature must be lowered to maintain it within suitable range. The animals which bear furs in the skin undergo evaporation and cooling by the process of panting. In dogs, panting causes loss of water from the moist surfaces of the respiratory passages and surface of tongue and mouth.