Water balance in Rhodnius prolixus during flight: Quantitative aspects of diuresis and its relation to changes in haemolymph and flight-muscle water

• Published in: Journal of insect physiology Vol. 28; no. 7; pp. 573 - 577
• Main Authors: Gringorten, J.L., Friend, W.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 1982
• Subjects: animal health; animal parasites and pests; animal physiology; arthropod pests; diuresis; excretion; flight; flight muscle; haemolymph; Rhodnius prolixus; water balance; flight; flight muscle; excretion; water balance; diuresis; Rhodnius prolixus; haemolymph
• ISSN: 0022-1910; 1879-1611
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-1910(82)90053-1

The amount of water voided by male Rhodnius prolixus which were flown to exhaustion varied from 0 to over 10% of the initial live weight. It accounted for nearly all of the body water lost during the flight period. Simultaneous measurements on the loss of haemolymph water and an estimate of the amount of faecal water in the excreta indicated that the source of the voided water was primarily the haemolymph. The total water content of the flight muscles changed very little in insects which flew to exhaustion. It is concluded that, despite the diuresis and loss of water, and the considerable reduction in haemolymph volume, dehydration of the flight muscles of male R. prolixus does not occur during these flight periods, and is not a factor contributing to ‘exhaustion’. The possibility that insufficient haemolymph is a factor limiting the duration of flight is discussed.