Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-9-26
pubmed:abstractText
Chasmagnathus granulatus is an estuarine crab which actively moves from subtidal to supratidal areas. To elucidate the possible existence of extrabranchial sites for aerial gas exchange, we measured respiratory and acid-base variables in animals with and without branchial water (controls and experimental crabs, respectively) during air exposure. An histological study of the branchiostegite was also performed. Throughout 4 h of emergence C. granulatus did not suffer venous hypoxia, even without branchial water. The rate of oxygen uptake (M(O(2))) was similar in both groups. The rate of carbon dioxide excretion (M(CO(2))) and the gas exchange ratio (R) significantly decreased during emergence in both groups, with R significantly lower for experimental crabs. Consequently, CO(2) was accumulated in the hemolymph. This variable stabilized after 90 min in control animals, but experimental crabs continued accumulating CO(2). Histological study of the branchiostegites demonstrated the presence of an attenuated and greatly perfused epithelium facing the branchial chamber lumen, with a shortest diffusion distance of 0.5 microm. Simple folds and lobulated projections increase the respiratory surface area. These results suggest that C. granulatus is a bimodal breathing crab, active both in water and air. When emerged, this species extract oxygen directly from air through branchiostegal lungs, but relies on branchial exchange to eliminate carbon dioxide.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
1095-6433
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
126
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
341-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Bimodal breathing in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulatus Dana 1851--physiological and morphological studies.
pubmed:affiliation
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pab. II. Ciudad Universitaria, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina. halperin@bg.fcen.uba.ar
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't