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Ants don't breath through their mouths like we do. They don't have lungs
like we do either. Instead they have a series of holes along the sides of
their bodies called spiracles that let air into a network of tubes inside
their body. The tubes branch all over their bodies so that almost every
cell in the ant's body is close to one of the tiny branches (sort of like
our blood vessels). The cells can absorb the oxygen they need directly
from the air in the tubes, and release waste carbon dioxide gas into the
tubes. The movement of the ant's body helps the air to circulate through
the tubes and in and out of the spiracles. Most other insects breath this
way, too.
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