Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

How sea snakes may avoid the bends

Nature volume 250, pages 489–490 (1974)Cite this article

Abstract

MARINE snakes and turtles are probably the deepest diving reptiles. Sea snakes dive to maximum depths of at least 40 m with air in the lung1. Pressure at this depth potentially produces the formation of N2 bubbles in the blood and other tissues during decompression, yet sea snakes ascend to the surface rapidly and do not seem to be affected by caisson disease. Here I show that N2 concentrations in the blood and tissues may remain much lower than that in the pulmonary blood because of a large venous shunt and a low but significant permeability of the skin to dissolved gas.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heatwole, H., and Minton, S. A., in Biology of Sea Snakes (edit by Dunson, W. A.) (in the press).

  2. Van Slyke, D. D., Dillon, R. T., and Margaria, R., J. biol. Chem., 105, 571–596 (1934).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Graham, J. B., Respir. Physiol. (in the press).

  4. Belkin, D. A., Respir. Physiol., 4, 1–14 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Krogh, A., J. Physiol. Lond., 52, 391–408 (1919).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Harvey, E. N., McElroy, W. D., Whiteley, A. H., Warren, G. H., and Pease, D. C., J. cell comp. Physiol., 24, 117–132 (1944).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Paulev, P., J. appl. Physiol., 20, 1028–1031 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Graham, J. B., Gee, J. H., and Robison, F. S., Comp. Biochem. Physiol. (in the press).

  9. Berkson, H., Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 18, 101–119 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. White, F. N., Fedn. Proc. 29, 1149–1153 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Landis, A. T., Undersea Tech., 6, 21 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Berkson, H., Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 21, 507–524 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kooyman, G. L., S.E.B. Symposium, 26, 295–311 (1972).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia

    ROGER S. SEYMOUR

Authors
  1. ROGER S. SEYMOUR
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SEYMOUR, R. How sea snakes may avoid the bends. Nature 250, 489–490 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/250489a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/250489a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing