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Insect physiology

Caterpillars have lungs

Nature volume 391, pages 129–130 (1998)Cite this article

The tracheal cuticle (with its underlying epithelium) is continuous with that of the insect's body surface, and the flow of air in and out of the spiracles is often controlled by valves3,4. The tracheae themselves are continuous with the cuticular tubes of the intracellular tracheoles, which form branches that ramify throughout the tissues. The respiratory needs of the tissues are met by diffusion within the lumen of this tubular system, and by the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the thin walls of the tracheoles5,6. This mechanism applies to most tissues.

Amazingly, although the existence and movement of these tufts has been known for more than 100 years7, only now has the significance of this been recognized2. Locke has found that the haemolymph becomes oxygenated as it passes through the tufts, which waft it towards the openings into the heart. Even more significantly, he has shown that the tufts provide way-stations for haemocytes to replenish their oxygen supplies.

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Figure 1

MARY EVANS

Figure 2: The tracheal system in the last three segments of a live caterpillar.

MICHAEL LOCKE

Figure 3: The branched tufts of tracheae and tracheoles that provide blood cells (haemocytes) with oxygen in caterpillars of the butterfly Calpodes ethlius.

References

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  1. the School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Peter J. Mill

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Mill, P. Caterpillars have lungs. Nature 391, 129–130 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/34306

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