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Journal of Experimental Biology 60,593-603 (1974)
Published by Company of Biologists 1974

The Permeability to Water of the Cuticle of the Larva of Opifex Fuscus (Hutton) (Diptera, Culicidae)

SUSAN W. NICOLSON ¹ and JOHN P. LEADER ²

¹ Department of Zoology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, England
² Department of Zoology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

1. Fourth-instar larvae of Opifex fuscus were found to have a mean body weight of 7.61 mg, a water content of 85.2%, and a mean cuticular surface area of 29.3 mm².

2. Larvae ligatured at neck and anus were found to lose 1 % of the body weight per hour when immersed in sea water.

3. The osmotic permeability coefficient of the cuticle was calculated from these data to be 2.4x10^-2 cm. h^-1.

4. Measurement of the diffusional permeability coefficient (P_d) by means of tritiated water and Deuterium oxide gave a value for this parameter of 4.8x10^-3 cm.h^-1.

5. The diffusional permeability of the cuticle of Opifex fuscus is thus less than that of typical freshwater insects, as predicted by Shaw & Stobbart.