Surviving the flood: plastron respiration in the non-tracheate arthropod Phrynus marginemaculatus (Amblypygi: Arachnida)

Specimens of Phrynus marginemaculatus can remain responsive when submerged in water for more than 24 hours. Behavioral data indicate that P. marginemaculatus utilizes dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water. Scanning electron miscroscopy and light microscope sections show cuticular modifications...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect physiology 2000, Vol.46 (1), p.13-19
Main Authors: Hebets, Eileen A., F. Chapman, Reginald
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amblypygid
Arachnids
Book lungs
oxygen
Phrynus
Phrynus marginemaculatus
plastron
Plastron respiration
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Summary:Specimens of Phrynus marginemaculatus can remain responsive when submerged in water for more than 24 hours. Behavioral data indicate that P. marginemaculatus utilizes dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water. Scanning electron miscroscopy and light microscope sections show cuticular modifications for plastron respiration. All previous examples of plastron respiration have involved animals with tracheal systems, but amblypygids respire through the use of two pairs of book lungs. This study provides the first example of plastron respiration not only in the order Amblypygi, but also, in any non-tracheate arthropod.
ISSN:0022-1910
1879-1611
DOI:10.1016/S0022-1910(99)00096-7