I like it. (Everytime I write a story with mermaids, or some equivalent, I get into an argument with myself over where to put the gills. It’s the science fiction writer in me.)
Biology and physiological convenience suggests they should be on the ribcage, adjacent to human lungs, and probably beneath the arms somewhat that they should be a bit better protected…
Or… if following the thinking that the air-breathing lungs are not dual-purpose and employed exclusively for air-breathing, and the gill-to-bloodstream oxygenation setup is entirely separate, maybe lower and nearer the kidneys as Gav there suggests. There’s going to be mixed trace stuff in the water (even just an abundance of salt if these are oceanic creatures, as they are most-often given to be) that needs to either be filtered out or redirected to a part of the body that can use it. Salt directly into the bloodstream would not be a good thing; salt redirected into some portion of the digestive tract that can absorb and use it would be beneficial.
Oh I left off my other main point:
Biology realism aside, there’s nonetheless a valid reason to place them on the neck as we so commonly see in fictional mermaid depictions: It’s visible to the audience; a nice, noticeable clue to the person’s “mermaidedness” that is always visible even when wearing clothes.
Speaking of clothes-wearing (not that mermaids frequently seem to) that’s another argument against the rib-cage gills; it would be harder to breath through, say, a sweater.
here is yet another reason to put them in the neck – actual biology. We all start off with gills, then the atrophy when the lungs develop. However, there is a vestigial gill flap that virtually all of us have – the earlobe. (My sisters don’t, curiously.) The placement of the earlobe suggests that if we kept out gills, the neck is exactly where they would wind up. Also, Merfolk should probably not have earlobes, if you are going for a scientific biology. (My merfolk have always been magickal, because magick supersedes the Laws of Nature and makes for a handy McGuffin to avoid complications like “How would water breathing Merfolk evolve in the first place, anyway?”…
Biologically, they should be on the neck. The human jaw and part of the inner ear are highly derived structures that are ontogenically formed from the pharyngular arches that, in our ancestors formed into gill slits. The Vagus nerve is itself derived from the nervous pathway to coordinate opening the mouth with moving water past the gills, beating the heart, and gut motility.
Krystal (dark hair) was in High School with Astali, she hung out with Jessie the mermaid Astali friended without really realizing it early on in the swimming pool. I think Alexis was introduced later with the group of (self described) nerds that make up Astali’s social circle at the Posidion resort.
I like it. (Everytime I write a story with mermaids, or some equivalent, I get into an argument with myself over where to put the gills. It’s the science fiction writer in me.)
Integrate them into the kidneys. Lots of blood filtration/flow.
Or just at the level of the lungs…
It’s certainly an interesting topic.
Biology and physiological convenience suggests they should be on the ribcage, adjacent to human lungs, and probably beneath the arms somewhat that they should be a bit better protected…
Or… if following the thinking that the air-breathing lungs are not dual-purpose and employed exclusively for air-breathing, and the gill-to-bloodstream oxygenation setup is entirely separate, maybe lower and nearer the kidneys as Gav there suggests. There’s going to be mixed trace stuff in the water (even just an abundance of salt if these are oceanic creatures, as they are most-often given to be) that needs to either be filtered out or redirected to a part of the body that can use it. Salt directly into the bloodstream would not be a good thing; salt redirected into some portion of the digestive tract that can absorb and use it would be beneficial.
Oh I left off my other main point:
Biology realism aside, there’s nonetheless a valid reason to place them on the neck as we so commonly see in fictional mermaid depictions: It’s visible to the audience; a nice, noticeable clue to the person’s “mermaidedness” that is always visible even when wearing clothes.
Speaking of clothes-wearing (not that mermaids frequently seem to) that’s another argument against the rib-cage gills; it would be harder to breath through, say, a sweater.
here is yet another reason to put them in the neck – actual biology. We all start off with gills, then the atrophy when the lungs develop. However, there is a vestigial gill flap that virtually all of us have – the earlobe. (My sisters don’t, curiously.) The placement of the earlobe suggests that if we kept out gills, the neck is exactly where they would wind up. Also, Merfolk should probably not have earlobes, if you are going for a scientific biology. (My merfolk have always been magickal, because magick supersedes the Laws of Nature and makes for a handy McGuffin to avoid complications like “How would water breathing Merfolk evolve in the first place, anyway?”…
Biologically, they should be on the neck. The human jaw and part of the inner ear are highly derived structures that are ontogenically formed from the pharyngular arches that, in our ancestors formed into gill slits. The Vagus nerve is itself derived from the nervous pathway to coordinate opening the mouth with moving water past the gills, beating the heart, and gut motility.
Alexis and Krystal?
Whoever they are, I love the personality in the expression of the blonde in the corner.
Krystal (dark hair) was in High School with Astali, she hung out with Jessie the mermaid Astali friended without really realizing it early on in the swimming pool. I think Alexis was introduced later with the group of (self described) nerds that make up Astali’s social circle at the Posidion resort.
They seem to be two separate species of water-filtrationers: blonde has the neck-gills, brunette has a healthy set of lungs
🤔Why does the blond one look like she’s wearing a one-piece swimsuit ❓
It’s a tankini.