abranchialism
n. C2 Proficiency abranchial·ism
n. a rare word for the state of not having gills. It describes animals that do not use gills to breathe underwater.
n. the condition or state of being without gills. Refers to organisms that lack the specialized respiratory structures used for gas exchange in aquatic environments.
The study explores abranchialism in certain deep-sea species.
Scientists are investigating abranchialism in these ancient fish to understand how they survived in oxygen-poor waters.
The evolutionary transition from aquatic to terrestrial life often involves the loss of abranchialism, as lungs replace gills for oxygen extraction from the air.