The Insect Gas Exchange System
The Insect Gas Exchange System
An X-ray of the yellow mealworm beetle - revealing the
system of white tubes or tracheae running through its
body
The Insect Gas Exchange System
•
An insect has spiracles (openings) lined
with chitin on the sides of its body.
•
The chitin give shape to the openings.
•
The spiracles can open and close by small
muscles.
•
These muscles contract to shut flap like
valves and relax to open the valves –
allows control of the flow of air as well as
slow down the loss of water.
Zoom
Zoom
spiracles
The spiracles open into a system of tubes called tracheae
Tracheal System
spiracles (openings)
Tracheae
Outside air
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Tracheoles
Storage of Air – adaptation for dry habitat
•
Collapsible air sacs
present in areas
without
taenidiae
•
In dry terrestrial
environments, this
temporary air supply
allows insects to
conserve water by
closing it spiracles
during very dry
periods use the stored
air in the sacs.
Respiratory tubes in a mayfly larva
•
Trachea lead to smaller tracheoles.
•
The ends of each tracheole finishes in a group of body
cells.
•
The ends are lined with a thin moist surface
(membranes) where the exchange of gases can take
place.
•
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The body cells are bathed in the haemolymph.
Tracheoles
Passive Diffusion of Gases
•
Oxygen from the air in the
tracheoles dissolves into the
haemolymph fluid on the thin
moist membrane surface and
diffuses into the cells.
•
O
2
diffuse from tracheoles
into haemolymph from a high
concentration of O
2
to a
lower concentration of O
2
.
•
CO
2
produced by cell
respiration can diffuse from
the cells into haemolymph
into tracheoles from a high
concentration of CO
2
to a
lower concentration of CO
2
.
Cells
covered with
haemolymph
O
2
O
2
O
2
O
2
tracheole
O
2
CO
2
CO
2
CO
2
O
2
Increased Surface Area for Gas
Exchange
Extensive network of
trachea and tracheoles
↑’s surface area exposed
for diffusion of:
•
O
2
into haemolymph and
further to the body cells.
•
CO
2
out of cells into
haemolymph into
tracheoles.
Thin Surface for Gas Exchange
Thin surface to endings
of tracheoles ↓’s the
barrier to diffusion of:
•
O
2
into haemolymph
and further to the
body cells.
•
CO
2
out of cells into
the haemolymph into
the tracheoles.
Cells
Haemolymph
Tracheole
Zoom
Moist Surface for Gas Exchange
Moist surface at end of the tracheoles is
important for:
•
O
2
to dissolve into the watery substance for
diffusion into the haemolymph.
•
CO
2
to dissolve into the water substance for
diffusion out of the haemolymph into the
tracheoles
What Prevents Insects from being the
Size we see in the Horror Movies?
•
Insects rely upon passive
diffusion and physical activity
for the movement of gases
within the tracheal system.
•
Diffusion of O
2
and CO
2
through the air in the tracheal
tubes is fast enough only for
distances less than 1cm for
the body surface. This limits
the size/radius of the insect’s
body.
•
Larger organisms use a blood
circulatory system (blood
vessels) to over come this
limitation.
The insect gas exchange system involves spiracles, tracheae, and tracheoles that facilitate the exchange of gases to support respiration in insects. Spiracles lined with chitin control airflow, while tracheae and tracheoles enable oxygen to dissolve into the haemolymph through passive diffusion, supporting cellular respiration. In dry habitats, insects utilize collapsible air sacs to conserve water and regulate gas exchange. This intricate system allows insects to thrive in a variety of environments.
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Presentation Transcript
An X-ray of the yellow mealworm beetle - revealing the system of white tubes or tracheae running through its body
The Insect Gas Exchange System An insect has spiracles (openings) lined with chitin on the sides of its body. The chitin give shape to the openings. The spiracles can open and close by small muscles. These muscles contract to shut flap like valves and relax to open the valves allows control of the flow of air as well as slow down the loss of water.
spiracles Zoom Zoom The spiracles open into a system of tubes called tracheae
Tracheal System Outside air spiracles (openings) Tracheae Tracheoles Trachea walls are reinforced with Taenidiae (thickening of the chitin) allows insects to flex and stretch without developing kinks that might restrict air flow.
Storage of Air adaptation for dry habitat Collapsible air sacs present in areas without taenidiae In dry terrestrial environments, this temporary air supply allows insects to conserve water by closing it spiracles during very dry periods use the stored air in the sacs.
Tracheoles Trachea lead to smaller tracheoles. The ends of each tracheole finishes in a group of body cells. The ends are lined with a thin moist surface (membranes) where the exchange of gases can take place. The thin membranes are surrounded by watery haemolymph. The body cells are bathed in the haemolymph.
Passive Diffusion of Gases Oxygen from the air in the tracheoles dissolves into the haemolymph fluid on the thin moist membrane surface and diffuses into the cells. O2 diffuse from tracheoles into haemolymph from a high concentration of O2 to a lower concentration of O2. O2 CO2 CO2 O2 O2 CO2 CO2 produced by cell respiration can diffuse from the cells into haemolymph into tracheoles from a high concentration of CO2 to a lower concentration of CO2. O2 O2 O2 tracheole Cells covered with haemolymph
Increased Surface Area for Gas Exchange Extensive network of trachea and tracheoles s surface area exposed for diffusion of: O2 into haemolymph and further to the body cells. CO2 out of cells into haemolymph into tracheoles.
Thin Surface for Gas Exchange Thin surface to endings of tracheoles s the barrier to diffusion of: O2 into haemolymph and further to the body cells. CO2 out of cells into the haemolymph into the tracheoles. Tracheole Cells Haemolymph Zoom
Moist Surface for Gas Exchange Moist surface at end of the tracheoles is important for: O2 to dissolve into the watery substance for diffusion into the haemolymph. CO2 to dissolve into the water substance for diffusion out of the haemolymph into the tracheoles
What Prevents Insects from being the Size we see in the Horror Movies? Insects rely upon passive diffusion and physical activity for the movement of gases within the tracheal system. Diffusion of O2 and CO2 through the air in the tracheal tubes is fast enough only for distances less than 1cm for the body surface. This limits the size/radius of the insect s body. Larger organisms use a blood circulatory system (blood vessels) to over come this limitation.
