Salt gland

A salt gland is an organ that removes excess salts from an animal’s body. In birds and reptiles, it commonly secretes concentrated salt solution through ducts near the eyes or nostrils.

Osmoregulation: The regulation of water and dissolved substances in an organism’s body fluids. Salt glands are specialized organs within this broader system of fluid balance.
Marine iguana: A Galápagos lizard that feeds on marine algae and expels excess salt through nasal glands. Its conspicuous nasal salt excretion is a well-known reptilian example.
Salinity: The concentration of dissolved salts in water or another solution. Environmental salinity determines the salt load an animal must manage.
Gill: A respiratory organ that exchanges gases between an animal and water. Fish gills regulate ions across a large surface, rather than using a separate salt gland.
Active transport: The movement of substances across a membrane using energy, often against a concentration gradient. Salt-secreting cells use energy-dependent ion transport to move salts into glandular fluid.
Saltwater crocodile: A large crocodilian that can excrete excess salt through glands on its tongue. Lingual salt glands help this species tolerate saline environments.
Seawater: Water from the sea, containing dissolved salts and other substances. Its high salt concentration creates a persistent challenge for marine animals.
Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys and excreted from the body. Salt glands can eliminate salt without relying on kidney-produced urine.
Sodium-potassium pump: A membrane protein that uses ATP to exchange sodium ions outward for potassium ions inward. Its ion gradients help drive salt movement across secretory cells.
Albatross: A large seabird adapted to long-distance flight over the open ocean. Nasal salt glands let albatrosses drink seawater and eliminate excess salt.

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