What is the Difference Between Osmoregulators and Osmoconformers

The main difference between osmoregulators and osmoconformers is that osmoregulators tightly regulate their body osmolarity as a constant, while osmoconformers match the osmolarity of their body to their outside environment. 

Osmoregulators and osmoconformers are two types of organisms with different methods of osmoregulation mechanisms. Osmoregulators are stenohaline organisms, while osmoconformers are euryhaline organisms.

Key Areas Covered

1. What are Osmoregulators
     – Definition, Mechanism of Osmoregulation, Importance
2. What are Osmoconformers
     – Definition, Mechanism of Osmoregulation, Importance
3. What are the Similarities Between Osmoregulators and Osmoconformers
     – Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Osmoregulators and Osmoconformers
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms 

Euryhaline, Osmoconformers, Osmoreguators, Osmolarity, Stenohaline

What are Osmoregulators 

Osmoregulators are either marine or freshwater organisms that tightly regulate their internal osmolarity in a constant value. Moreover, their osmolarity does not depend on the osmolarity of the external environment. Osmoregulators are the commonest type of aquatic animals. Generally, osmoregulators in freshwater actively uptake salts through their gills. Therefore, water diffuses into their body through the body wall. The excess water can also be expelled from the body through the production of a lot of very dilute urine. 

Figure 1: The Movement of Water and Ions in Saltwater Fish

In contrast, marine osmoregulators have a lower internal osmotic concentration than that of the external environment. Therefore, they actively expel salts from their gills. Furthermore, most osmoregulators are stenohaline organisms that can survive within a narrow range of salinities.  

What are Osmoconformers 

Osmoconformers are exclusively marine organisms that match their internal osmolarity to the osmolarity of the outside environment. However, their ionic composition may be different from that of the outside seawater. Their internal environment is isotonic to the external environment. Generally, most marine invertebrates are osmoconformers. 

Figure 2: The Movement of Water and Ions in Freshwater Fish

Moreover, most euryhaline organisms are osmoconformers. The main importance of being an osmoconformer is that it can survive in a wide range of salinities. Therefore, these organisms can live in all freshwater, marine, and brackish water environments.  

Similarities Between Osmoregulators and Osmoconformers 

• Osmoregulators and osmoconformers are two types of aquatic organisms with different types of osmolarity regulation mechanisms. 
• Moreover, based on osmoregulation mechanisms, they can live in unique environmental conditions. 

Difference Between Osmoregulators and Osmoconformers 

Definition 

Osmoregulators refer to the animals that maintain a constant internal osmotic environment in spite of changes in its external environment, while osmoconformers refer to the animals whose body fluids are in osmotic balance with its environment. Thus, this is the fundamental difference between osmoregulators and osmoconformers.

Habitat 

Moreover, an osmoregulator can be either marine or freshwater organism, while osmoconformers are marine organisms. 

Significance 

Furthermore, osmoregulators regulate their internal osmolarity constant independently from the external environment, while osmoconformers maintain their internal environment isotonic to the outside environment. 

Osmoregulation 

Above all, the main difference between osmoregulators and osmoconformers is their osmoregulation. Osmoregulators undergo osmoregulation, controlling internal osmotic environment, while osmoconformers follow the environment and do not undergo osmoregulation. 

Active or Passive Mechanisms 

Osmoregulators actively regulate their internal osmolarity, while osmoconformers actively or passively change their internal environment.  

Euryhaline or Stenohaline 

Also, another difference between osmoregulators and osmoconformers is that osmoregulators are stenohaline organisms, while osmoconformers can be euryhaline organisms. 

Importance 

Besides, osmoregulators can survive in a narrow range of salinities, while osmoconformers can survive in a wide range of salinities. 

Conclusion 

Osmoregulators are a type of aquatic organisms that can live either in freshwater or marine habitats. Moreover, they actively regulate internal osmolarity independently from their external environment. On the other hand, osmoconformers are mainly marine organisms that can live in a wide range of salinities. Generally, they match their internal osmolarity to the osmolarity of the outside environment. Therefore, they can live in a wide range of salinities. However, the main difference between osmoregulators and osmoconformers is the type of osmoregulatory mechanisms. 

References:

1. Learning, Lumen. “Osmoregulators and Osmoconformers.” Lumen – Biology for Majors II, Available Here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Osmoseragulation Carangoides bartholomaei bw en2” By Kare Kare modified by Biezl translation improved by smartse (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia   
2. “Bachforelle osmoregulatoin bw en2” By Raver, Duane; modified by Biezl translation improved by User:smartse – NOAA. Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by User:Quadell using CommonsHelper. (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia