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Metabolic recovery from drowning by insect pupae
H Arthur Woods1, Steven J Lane2
1Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA art.woods@mso.umt.edu.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|October 7, 2016
Summary
Terrestrial insect pupae, like Manduca sexta, can survive prolonged underwater anoxia. These pupae exhibit unique respiratory adaptations, including cyclic carbon dioxide emissions and lactate accumulation, to reestablish homeostasis post-immersion.
Area of Science:
- Insect physiology
- Environmental adaptation
- Anoxia tolerance
Background:
- Terrestrial insects face intermittent flooding, posing challenges to oxygen-deprived life stages.
- Underground pupae may encounter anoxic conditions for extended periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that terrestrial insect pupae possess respiratory adaptations for anoxia survival.
- To investigate the post-immersion respiratory recovery patterns in Manduca sexta pupae.
Main Methods:
- Experimental immersion of Manduca sexta pupae in aerated and anoxic water for up to 13 days.
- Monitoring of survival rates, adult morphology, carbon dioxide emissions, and lactate levels.
Main Results:
- Pupae survived up to 5 days of immersion, unlike larvae (max 4 hours).
- Post-immersion, pupae showed elevated carbon dioxide emission and cyclic gas exchange patterns.
- Lactate accumulated during immersion and gradually declined, with prolonged elevated respiration observed in longer immersion groups.
Conclusions:
- Manduca sexta pupae demonstrate remarkable anoxia tolerance and respiratory plasticity.
- Observed cyclic respiration patterns challenge existing physiological models.
- Pupae exhibit energy expenditure for homeostasis recovery even after lactate normalization.
