Push‐up response of stonefly larvae in low‐oxygen conditions

Abstract

Under conditions of low oxygen availability, the larvae of the stonefly Oyamia lugubris McLachlan demonstrate a ‘push‐up’ behavior that is thought to enhance respiratory efficiency. We conducted an experiment to investigate the effect of the oxygen supply on this behavior in winter and summer by using a lotic chamber and natural water. From the experiment, we determined the critical oxygen supply level below which the stonefly larvae are compelled to do push‐ups. There was a small difference in the critical oxygen supply level between the seasons. This result emphasizes that a novel measurement of the oxygen availability, that is, the oxygen supply, could be an important determinant of the distribution of aquatic insects.