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Respiratory significance of the thoracic and abdominal morphology of the three aquatic bugs Ambrysus, Notonecta and Hesperocorixa (Insecta, Heteroptera)

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Abstract

The spiracular chambers of the three anterior pairs of spiracles are described, and their relationships with the air stores on the body are discussed. Morphological variations in the spiracular chambers of Ambrysus, Notonecta, and Hesperocorixa appear to be correlated with the manner in which these insects obtain atmospheric and dissolved oxygen.

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Abbreviations

AB :

Abdominal segment

AC :

Antecosta

AF :

Flap on second abdominal segment

AM :

Alar membrane

AP :

Abdominal projection of second abdominal segment

AT :

Air trough of metathoracic spiracular chamber

AX :

Humeral axillary sclerite

CL :

Clavus of forewing

CM :

Coxal membrane

CO :

Corium of forewing

CP :

Metacoxal process

CS :

Claval suture of forewing

CX :

Coxa

D :

Wing-anchoring depression on costal margin of forewing

DVM :

Dorsoventral muscle of first abdominal segment

E :

Embolium of forewing

EM :

Epimeron

ES :

Episternum

FE :

Femur

FL :

Posterior flap on costal margin of forewing

FW :

Forewing

G :

Gap between forewing and body

OR :

Groove on abdominal projection

H :

Horizontal ridge or sulcus

HA :

Hairs on precoxal bridge HD Head

HL :

Laterosternal hairs

HW :

Hindwing

L :

Laterosternite of abdomen

LH :

Lateral hairs of ventral abdominal air channel

LM :

Epirneral lobe

LMO :

Opening into epimeral lobe

LN :

Notal lobe

LS :

Episternal lobe

MI-II :

Membrane between prothorax and mesothorax

MB :

Membrane of forewing

MH :

Medial hairs of ventral abdominal air channel

MP :

Process for dorsoventral muscle of first abdominal segment

N :

Notum

P :

Pleural ridge or sulcus

PB :

Postalar bridge

PN :

Postnotum

PP :

Postalar projection of postalar bridge

R :

Ridge on metathoracic episternum

RS :

Rounded swelling on costal margin of forewing

S :

Spiracle

SA :

Subalar air store

SC :

Spiracular chamber

SO :

Scolopophorous sense organ

ST :

Sternum

TA :

Thoracico-abdominal sclerite

TAL :

Thoracico-abdominal lobe of thoracico-abdominal sclerite

TAM :

Functional (not morphological) thoracico-abdominal membrane

TAO :

Opening into thoracico-abdominal lobe

TR :

Trochanter

V :

Vertical ridge or sulcus

VP :

Vertical plate of thoracico-abdominal sclerite

WA :

Wing-anchoring process of mesothoracic epimeron

WF :

Wing-anchoring flap on costal margin of forewing

WH :

Hairs on emboliar margin of forewing

WM :

Costal margin of forewing

WR :

Ridge on inner surface of forewing

XC :

Axillary cord of forewing

2 or 3 PH :

Second or third phragma

II–III:

Boundary between mesothorax and metathorax

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Zoology Ramsay Wright Zoological Lab., University of Toronto, 25 Harbord St., Toronto 5, Ontario, Canada

    M. C. Parsons

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Parsons, M.C. Respiratory significance of the thoracic and abdominal morphology of the three aquatic bugs Ambrysus, Notonecta and Hesperocorixa (Insecta, Heteroptera). Z. Morph. Tiere 66, 242–298 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00280736

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