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Oxygen consumption by ammocoetes of the lamprey Geotria australis in air
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Oxygen consumption by ammocoetes of the lamprey Geotria australis in air

I.C. Potter, D.J. Macey, A.R. Roberts and P.C. Withers
Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology, Vol.166(5), pp.331-336
1996
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003600050016
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Abstract

When covered by moistened lint-free gauze, the larvae (ammocoetes) of the lampreyGeotria australis survived, without apparent discomfort, for 4 days in water-saturated air at 10, 15 and 20°C. In air, the mean standard rates of O2 consumption of medium to large ammocoetes ofG. australis (000000000;=0.52 g) at 10, 15 and 20°C were 14.5, 35.7 and 52.1 μl·g−1·h−1, respectively. At 15°C, the slope of the relationship between log O2 consumption (μlO2·h−1) and log body weight for ammocoetes over a wide range in body weight was 0.987. TheQ 10s for rate of O2 consumption between 10 and 15°C, 15 and 20°C and 10 and 20°C were 4.9, 2.9 and 3.6, respectively. Our results and observations of the ammocoetes suggest that, when out of water, larvalG. australis derives most of its O2 requirements from cutaneous respiration, particularly at lower temperatures. This would be facilitated by the small size and elongate shape (and thus a relatively high surface-to-volume ratio), low metabolic rate, thin dermis, extensive subdermal capillary network and high haemoglobin concentration of larvalG. australis.

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