Synchrotron imaging of the grasshopper tracheal system: morphological and physiological components of tracheal hypermetry.

ABSTRACT: As grasshoppers increase in size during ontogeny, they have mass specifically greater whole body tracheal and tidal volumes and ventilation than predicted by an isometric relationship with body mass and body volume. However, the morphological and physiological bases to this respiratory hypermetry are unknown. In this study, we use synchrotron imaging to demonstrate that tracheal hypermetry in developing grasshoppers (Schistocerca americana) is due to increases in air sacs and tracheae and occurs in all three body segments, providing evidence against the hypothesis that hypermetry is due to gaining flight ability. We also assessed the scaling of air sac structure and function by assessing volume changes of focal abdominal air sacs. Ventilatory frequencies increased in larger animals during

SUBMITTER: Greenlee KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3774187 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature