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Effects of gravidity on grasshopper oxygen delivery
Author(s) -
Kirkton Scott D.,
Altman Elizabeth K.,
Zembrzuski Deanna
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.860.2
Subject(s) - ventilation (architecture) , tidal volume , abdomen , grasshopper , anatomy , medicine , respiratory system , zoology , biology , ecology , physics , meteorology
Although the insect tracheal system is extremely efficient, life history changes can reduce oxygen delivery. For example, intermolt growth results in compressed tracheae, lower tracheal volumes, and reduced femoral air sac ventilation rates. During gravidity, the egg mass of Schistocerca americana grasshoppers can reach up to 40% of their body mass. We investigated whether this increase in egg mass compressed tracheae, lowered tracheal volumes, and reduced ventilation rates in the abdomen and femur. Using micro‐dissections and live video analysis, we examined the tracheal system of thirty‐six female grasshoppers. We found that abdominal compression rates correlated with the inflation of proximal and distal femoral air sacs. In addition, abdominal compressibility decreased with gravidity, suggesting lower tidal volumes. However, there was a positive correlation between gravidity and tracheal compression rate. Furthermore, initial micro computed tomography findings also suggest that gravid females have reduced tracheal volumes. These findings suggest that gravid females compensate for reduced tidal and tracheal volumes by increasing tracheal ventilation rates to improve oxygen delivery. Support or Funding Information This research was funded in part by NSF award 1531850 to SDK. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .