Larval damselflies in extreme environments: behavioral and physiological response to hypoxic stress

The extensive papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) swamps of East and Central Africa form a habitat of great ecological importance due to their extent, the extreme and chronic hypoxia of the interior swamp, and the unique assemblages of water-breathing insects that characterize these communities, including zygopteran (damselfly) larvae. The major goal of this study was to quantify physiological and behavioral responses of gilled and gill-less damselfly larvae of a papyrus swamp specialist, Proischnura subfurcatum, to low-oxygen conditions. Gill autotomization was common in P. subfurcatum of the Rwembaita Swamp in Kibale National Park, Uganda, with one to three gills missing from 56% of the specimens surveyed. We examined behavioral (ventilation activity and vertical migration) and physiological (metabolic rate) response to hypoxia in gilled and gill-less P. subfurcatum. Behavioral response to progressive hypoxia indicated that gill-less individuals rely more on use of wing sheaths (lifting and spreading) than gilled P. subfurcatum larvae. However, both morphs migrated to the surface to gain contact with atmospheric air under extreme hypoxia. On average, the rate of oxygen consumption of gill-less individuals was 51% lower than that of gilled individuals. This observed metabolic depression in gill-less P. subfurcatum may be attributed to the loss of major respiratory appendages. However, the apparent ability of both gilled and gill-less individuals to maintain their metabolic rates to a similar critical tension suggests other mechanisms may compensate for loss of gills, though not enough to mediate metabolic depression.