Comparing Circulatory Systems: Open and Closed Examples

1. Open Circulatory System

Arthropods e.g insects
An example of an animal with an open circulatory system is the grasshopper. In grasshoppers, the circulatory fluid (hemolymph) is pumped by the heart into the body cavity, where it directly bathes and nourishes the organs. The hemolymph then re-enters the heart for recirculation. There are no well-defined blood vessels, and the hemolymph comes into direct contact with tissues.

2. Closed Circulatory System

An example of an animal with a closed circulatory system is the human. In humans and other vertebrates, blood is confined within a network of blood vessels that includes arteries, veins, and capillaries. The heart pumps blood through this closed system, and the blood flows within vessels, providing a more controlled and efficient distribution of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products to and from the body's cells.