New review highlights species-specific reptile respiratory care: full analysis

A newly published review in Animals is making a familiar but important point for exotic animal practice: reptile respiration is far more diverse than many clinical shorthand descriptions suggest. In the May 2, 2026 paper, Javier G. Nevarez, DVM, PhD, DACZM, DECZM, reviews lung anatomy and respiratory physiology across reptile groups and argues for a “paradigm shift” toward species-level thinking rather than assuming a single respiratory model applies across reptiles. (mdpi.com)

That message lands in a field where veterinarians often have to generalize across a broad and biologically uneven category. Standard reference material already notes that reptile lungs are variable in complexity, more sponge-like than mammalian alveolar lungs, and that most reptiles lack a true diaphragm. Merck Veterinary Manual, for example, highlights differences such as the postpulmonary membrane in chelonians, the analogous respiratory membrane in crocodilians, and the reduced or absent left lung in many snakes. (merckvetmanual.com)

Nevarez’s review organizes that diversity into three main lung types: unicameral, transitional, and multicameral. It also distinguishes crocodilians, which have a well-developed bronchial tree, from other reptile groups that have either limited bronchi or none at all. The primary gas-exchange structures are faveoli and ediculae, not mammalian alveoli, and their distribution can be homogeneous or heterogeneous within the lung. The paper also emphasizes that reptile lungs support more than oxygen exchange, contributing to thermoregulation, buoyancy, communication, and defense. (mdpi.com)

The clinical implication is that anatomy drives case management. Older veterinary proceedings and current educational materials consistently stress that reptile ventilation can depend on intercostal musculature, body wall movement, limb and visceral motion, or, in crocodilians, liver- and membrane-associated mechanics. Nevarez has made similar anatomy-and-physiology points in continuing education on reptile anesthesia, where altered cardiopulmonary function, shunting, and species differences can affect anesthetic depth and recovery. Recent commentary in dvm360 has echoed that same issue, with zoological medicine specialists warning that reptiles’ ectothermy and unusual respiratory and circulatory physiology can materially change surgical and anesthetic management. (dvm360.com)

There does not appear to be a separate institutional press release tied to the paper, and broad industry reaction is limited so far. Still, the review’s central claim aligns with the direction of existing expert education in reptile medicine: clinicians need to think less in terms of “normal reptile physiology” and more in terms of species, body plan, and husbandry context. That is especially relevant because respiratory signs in reptiles are often subtle, and normal values can vary widely with temperature, stress, and species. (mdpi.com)

Why it matters: For veterinarians, the paper is less about novelty for novelty’s sake and more about sharpening clinical judgment. A species-specific understanding of respiratory anatomy can improve interpretation of imaging, help distinguish normal from pathologic breathing patterns, and reduce errors in anesthesia and supportive care. It also reinforces a husbandry-linked reality of reptile practice: temperature, enclosure design, and species biology can all change respiratory performance and the way disease presents. For teams working with pet parents, that can translate into better history-taking, clearer expectations, and more tailored treatment plans. (mdpi.com)

What to watch: The next question is whether follow-on research fills the gap Nevarez identifies by validating respiratory concepts across the reptile species most commonly seen in clinics, rather than extrapolating from a small number of models. If that happens, practitioners could eventually see more species-specific guidance for imaging, anesthesia, and respiratory disease workups. (mdpi.com)