Diet and carbohydrase activities in three cockroaches, Calolampra elegans roth and princis, Geoscapheus dilatatus saussure and Panesthia cribrata saussure

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. A, Comparative physiology Vol. 104; no. 1; pp. 155 - 161
• Main Authors: Zhang, J, Scrivener, A.M, Slaytor, M, Rose, H.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier B.V 1993; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biochemistry. Physiology. Immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Blaberidae; Blattaria; Blattodea; carbohydrate metabolism; diet; digestion; enzyme activity; foregut; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glycosidases; hindgut; Insecta; Invertebrates; midgut; Physiology. Development; Blaberidae; Enzymatic activity; Diet; Enzyme; Arthropoda; Insecta; Carbohydrate; Digestion; Invertebrata; Metabolism; Dictyoptera; Feeding
• ISSN: 0300-9629
• DOI: 10.1016/0300-9629(93)90023-W

1. 1. Respiratory quotients of Calolampra elegans and Geoscapheus dilatatus are 0.99 ± 0.03 and 0.97 ± 0.08, respectively, suggesting that they metabolize carbohydrate. 2. 2. Cellulase, α-amylase and maltase, hemicellulase, and invertase were present in the foregut and midgut of these cockroaches and in Panesthia cribrata. In the midgut, cellulase and α-amylase activities are restricted to the anterior ventriculus. 3. 3. Rates of CO 2 production correspond to glucose being metabolized at 0.5 and 1 μmol/hr/g cockroach in C. elegans and G. dilatatus respectively. 4. 4. Activities are endogenous and apparently secreted regardless of diet as each activity alone could maintain the cockroach.