Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis
Respiration and energy metabolism are key processes in animals, which are severely constrained by the design of physical structures, such as respiratory structures. Insects have very particular respiratory systems, based on gas diffusion across tracheae. Since the efficiency of the tracheal respirat...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2011-01-01
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| Series: | Biological Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-97602011000100009 |
| _version_ | 1818136802337226752 |
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| author | Roberto F Nespolo Roger D Sepúlveda Luis E Castañeda Derek A Roff |
| author_facet | Roberto F Nespolo Roger D Sepúlveda Luis E Castañeda Derek A Roff |
| author_sort | Roberto F Nespolo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Respiration and energy metabolism are key processes in animals, which are severely constrained by the design of physical structures, such as respiratory structures. Insects have very particular respiratory systems, based on gas diffusion across tracheae. Since the efficiency of the tracheal respiratory system is highly dependent on body shape, the pattern of morphological variation during ontogeny could have important metabolic consequences. We studied this problem combining through-flow respirometry and geometric morphometrics in 88 nymphs of the sand cricket, Gryllus firmus. After measuring production in each individual, we took digital photographs and defined eight landmarks for geometric morphometric analysis. The analysis suggested that ontogenic deformations were mostly related to enlargement of the abdomen, compared to thorax and head. We found that (controlling for body size) metabolic variables and especially resting metabolism are positively correlated with a shape-component associated to an elongation of the abdomen. Our results are in agreement with the mechanics of tracheal ventilation in orthopterans, as gas circulation occurs by changes in abdominal pressures due to abdominal contractions and expansions along the longitudinal axis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:46:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3e7c618f4bc4a1c83885bc2ffbe8783 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0716-9760 0717-6287 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:46:12Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biological Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3e7c618f4bc4a1c83885bc2ffbe87832022-12-22T01:12:33ZengBMCBiological Research0716-97600717-62872011-01-014416974Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysisRoberto F NespoloRoger D SepúlvedaLuis E CastañedaDerek A RoffRespiration and energy metabolism are key processes in animals, which are severely constrained by the design of physical structures, such as respiratory structures. Insects have very particular respiratory systems, based on gas diffusion across tracheae. Since the efficiency of the tracheal respiratory system is highly dependent on body shape, the pattern of morphological variation during ontogeny could have important metabolic consequences. We studied this problem combining through-flow respirometry and geometric morphometrics in 88 nymphs of the sand cricket, Gryllus firmus. After measuring production in each individual, we took digital photographs and defined eight landmarks for geometric morphometric analysis. The analysis suggested that ontogenic deformations were mostly related to enlargement of the abdomen, compared to thorax and head. We found that (controlling for body size) metabolic variables and especially resting metabolism are positively correlated with a shape-component associated to an elongation of the abdomen. Our results are in agreement with the mechanics of tracheal ventilation in orthopterans, as gas circulation occurs by changes in abdominal pressures due to abdominal contractions and expansions along the longitudinal axis.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-97602011000100009Shape variationsmetabolic ratemorphologyinsect respirationorthoptersand crickets |
| spellingShingle | Roberto F Nespolo Roger D Sepúlveda Luis E Castañeda Derek A Roff Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis Biological Research Shape variations metabolic rate morphology insect respiration orthopter sand crickets |
| title | Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis |
| title_full | Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis |
| title_fullStr | Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis |
| title_short | Effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket Gryllus firmus: a geometric morphometric analysis |
| title_sort | effects of shape variations on the energy metabolism of the sand cricket gryllus firmus a geometric morphometric analysis |
| topic | Shape variations metabolic rate morphology insect respiration orthopter sand crickets |
| url | http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-97602011000100009 |
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