Ammonotelisyyteen

Ammonotelisyyteen, often translated as ammonotelism, is a physiological process used by many aquatic animals to excrete nitrogenous waste. This process involves the direct release of ammonia (NH3) into the surrounding water. Ammonia is a highly toxic compound, but in aquatic environments, it can be readily diluted and dispersed by the water, thus minimizing its harmful effects on the organism.

Animals that exhibit ammonotelisyyteen typically have access to a large volume of water. Fish are a prime example, excreting ammonia primarily through their gills. This is an energetically inexpensive method of waste removal because ammonia can be excreted as soon as it is produced, without requiring significant metabolic conversion. However, this strategy is only feasible in environments where the animal is constantly bathed in water.

Terrestrial animals cannot use ammonotelisyyteen due to the risk of ammonia toxicity in a less dilute environment. Instead, they have evolved alternative excretory mechanisms, such as uricotelism (excreting uric acid) or ureotelism (excreting urea), which are less toxic and require less water for excretion. The efficiency of ammonotelisyyteen is directly linked to the availability of water for dilution, making it a defining characteristic of aquatic life.