osmoregulatory
1
9.1
- adjective
- /ˌɑzmoʊˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪtɔri/
- Specialized
- The osmoregulatory process helps fish maintain a balance of salt and water in their bodies while swimming in salty ocean water.
Examples
-
The osmoregulatory system of cetaceans is adapted to the high ion levels of seawater, and modern cetaceans use water so sparingly that they do not need a source of fresh water and produce highly concentrated urine (Telfer et al. 1970).
Academic text (2001) -
But these more complicated life histories come with costs, including osmoregulatory and energetic demands for movement between two distinctly different environments.
Academic text (2009) -
Delayed mortality can occur from hooking wounds, disease, or osmoregulatory dysfunction (Muoneke and Childress, 1994).
Academic text (1998) -
Many desert organisms have developed osmoregulatory adaptations to conserve water in their arid habitats.
-
Scientists study the osmoregulatory mechanisms of amphibians to understand how they regulate their internal environment during both terrestrial and aquatic stages.
How Regulated
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
9.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
osmoregulatory = osmoregulate (semi-transparent) = osmo + regulate + ory
The suffixation from 'osmoregulate' + '-ory' is regular, but the combining form 'osmo-' is technical and may be unfamiliar to average learners.
Etymology
Osmoregulatory comes from the Greek root osmos meaning 'push', as in osmosis where water moves, and the familiar word regulate meaning 'control'. So, osmoregulatory describes systems that 'control' the 'balance' of water and salt in living things.