plastron respiration

physiology

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July 1, 2026

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Plastron respiration is a physiological adaptation used by some aquatic insects to breathe underwater. It involves a modified air storage chamber, called a plastron, which consists of a series of cuticular grooves radiating from a spiracle. These grooves are filled with air and held in place by water-repellent hairs, maintaining a continuous air supply. This allows the insect to absorb dissolved oxygen directly from the water as long as the water is well-oxygenated. This method of respiration is crucial for aquatic insects that cannot easily access atmospheric air.1

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respiratory system
Trachea
…forms below it, creating a plastron, or air shell, into which the tracheae open. As respiration proceeds, the outward diffusion of nitrogen and consequent shrinkage of the gas space are prevented by the surface tension—a condition manifested by properties that resemble those of an elastic skin under tension—between the closely…
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…forms below it, creating a plastron, or air shell, into which the tracheae open. As respiration proceeds, the outward diffusion of nitrogen and consequent shrinkage of the gas space are prevented by the surface tension—a condition manifested by properties that resemble those of an elastic skin under tension—between the closely…
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heteropteran
Respiratory system
…few forms (Naucoridae) have “plastron” respiration. The plastron is actually a modified air storage chamber that consists of air in a series of cuticular grooves radiating from a spiracle. This air is continuous with tracheal air and is held in each groove by hydrofuge hairs, so that its volume…
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…few forms (Naucoridae) have “plastron” respiration. The plastron is actually a modified air storage chamber that consists of air in a series of cuticular grooves radiating from a spiracle. This air is continuous with tracheal air and is held in each groove by hydrofuge hairs, so that its volume…
Read More