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Journal of Experimental Biology 157,425-437 (1991)
Published by Company of Biologists 1991

ROUTES OF TRANSPIRATORY WATER LOSS IN A DRYHABITAT TENEBRIONID BEETLE

KARL ERIK ZACHARIASSEN ¹

¹ Department of Zoology, The University of Trondheim 7055 Dragvoll, Norway

Routes of evaporative water loss in the tenebrionid beetle Phrynocolus petrosus Gerstaecker from dry savanna in East Africa were investigated. The humidity of the air surrounding the abdomen, the air surrounding the head and pronotum and the air inside the subelytral cavity was varied independently, and the effects on organismal rate of water loss were observed.

The rate of organismal water loss dropped when the humidity around the head and pronotum and inside the subelytral cavity increased. Saturation of these air compartments, which both exchange respiratory gases with the tracheae through the spiracles, reduced the organismal rate of water loss by more than 80%, even when the large abdominal surface was surrounded by dry air. The results indicate that the transcuticular water loss makes up only about 20% of the total transpiratory water loss in these beetles, i.e. transcuticular water permeability is very low.

The results also indicate that the average air humidity inside the subelytral cavity of normal intact beetles is close to saturation. Water loss from the subelytral chamber is reduced accordingly, and appears to make up less than 10% of the total transpiratory water loss. The water loss over the pronotal spiracles amounts to about 70%, and is thus the dominant component of transpiratory water loss in these beetles.

Key words: Coleoptera, desert, water balance, cuticular permeability, Phrynocolus petrosus

Accepted on November 30, 1990

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