Standard metabolic rates of Lepisma saccharina and Thermobia domestica: Effects of temperature and mass

Zachary C. DeVries, Arthur G. Appel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Silverfish, Lepisma saccharina L., and firebrats, Thermobia domestica (Packard), are two common thysanuran pests in the urban environment. Both species can survive for extended periods without feeding, suggesting that they have some metabolic modifications compared with other insects which cannot tolerate extended starvation. To investigate potential metabolic modifications and to compare silverfish and firebrats, we measured the standard metabolic rate of both species at five temperatures (10, 20, 25, 30, 40°C) across a range of body masses using closed system respirometry. Temperature had a stronger effect on firebrat mass specific VO2 (mlg-1h-1) than on silverfish mass specific VO2 for adults (>0.00700g: firebrat Q10=2.32, silverfish Q10=2.07) and immatures (<0.00700g: firebrat Q10=2.86, silverfish Q10=2.57). In addition, temperature had a stronger effect on the mass specific VO2 of immatures than adults for both firebrats and silverfish. Respiratory quotients showed complex relationships with temperature from 10 to 40°C, indicating a change in metabolic substrate with temperature. These results are interpreted with respect to the life histories and environment of both species. Finally, metabolic rates are compared with those of ticks and other arthropods.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)638-645
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Insect Physiology
Volume59
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank Xing P. Hu, Nannan Liu, Stephen A. Kells, T. Guy Shelton, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful reviews of the manuscript. We also thank Marla J. Eva for assistance with rearing and maintaining silverfish and firebrat colonies and Maryann DeVries for assistance with experiments. Finally, this work was funded by a departmental assistantship to the first author from the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University.

Keywords

  • Firebrat
  • Mass scaling
  • Q
  • Respiration
  • Respiratory quotient
  • Silverfish

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Insect Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Standard metabolic rates of Lepisma saccharina and Thermobia domestica: Effects of temperature and mass'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this