Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The respiratory and cardiovascular changes associated with the emersion response ofCarcinus maenas (L.) during environmental hypoxia, at three different temperatures

  • Published:
Journal of comparative physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    When exposed to progressive hypoxia in shallow seawater,Carcinus maenas partially emerged into air and aerated its branchial chambers by reversing the direction of their irrigation. Emersion took place at a meanP I, O2 of 18 mm Hg at 6 °C, 21 mm Hg at 12 °C and 59 mm Hg at 17 °C.

  2. 2.

    At low oxygen tensions submerged crabs underwent a progressive bradycardia. Heart rate first became significantly lower than the rate in normoxia below aP I O2 of 30 mm Hg at 6 °C, 40 mm Hg at 12 °C and below 60 mm Hg at 17 °C. The proportion of total time spent irrigating the gills in a reversed direction increased in hypoxic seawater (P I, O2< 50 mm Hg), but respiratory rate was unchanged.

  3. 3.

    Emersion into air always occurred during a reversal of irrigation and was accompanied by prolonged reversals, with consequent aeration of the branchial chambers, and by an immediate and maintained tachycardia back towards the rate in normoxic seawater. Crabs emerging into a hypoxic atmosphere (\(P_{O_2 } \) < 10mm Hg) showed neither a maintained reversal of irrigation nor a maintained tachycardia.

  4. 4.

    The oxygen tension of the postbranchial blood (P a,O2) was 94 mm Hg in crabs submerged in normoxic seawater (P I,O2 146 mm Hg) at 12 ° C. During progressive hypoxiaP a, O2 fell in direct proportion to the drop inP I,O2. Emersion caused no significant increase inP a, O2.

  5. 5.

    The mean oxygen content of postbranchial blood (C a, O2) was 0.96 vol. % at aP I,O2 of 145 mm Hg.C a, O2 fell to 0.19 vol.-% in submerged crabs at a meanP I,O2 of 25 mm Hg but rose to 0.45 vol.-% following 10 min emersion into air at a meanP I, O2 of 22 mm Hg.

  6. 6.

    The results provide evidence of a respiratory role for the emersion response and also of an adaptive role for the high affinity of the blood pigment inCarcinus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahsanullah, M., Newell, R. C.: Factors affecting the heart rate of the shore crabCarcinus maenas (L.). Comp. Biochem. Physiol.39A, 277–287 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Arudpragasam, K. D., Naylor, E.: Gill ventilation and the role or reversed respiratory currents inCarcinus maenas (L.). J. exp. Biol.41, 299–308 (1964a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Arudpragasam, K. D., Naylor, E.: Gill ventilation volumes, oxygen consumption and respiratory rhythms inCarcinus maenas (L.). J. exp. Biol.41, 309–322 (1964b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohn, G.: Sur le renversement du courant respiratoire chez les Decapodes. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)125, 539–542 (1897)

    Google Scholar 

  • Borradaile, L. A.: On the mouthparts of the shore crab. J. Linn. Soc. (Zool.)35, 115–143 (1922).

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, P. J., Taylor, E. W.: Responses of the dogfishScyliorhinus canicula L. to slowly induced and rapidly induced hypoxia. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.39A, 307–323 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, J. N., Randall, D. J., Davis, J. C.: Regulation of the ventilation-perfusion ratio in the gills ofDasyatis sabina andSqualus suckleyi. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.39A, 505–519 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Henze, M.: Über den Einfluß des Sauerstoffdruoks auf den Gaswechsel einiger Meerestiere. Biochem. Z.26, 255–278 (1910)

    Google Scholar 

  • Holeton, G. F., Randall, D. J.: The effect of hypoxia upon the partial pressure of gases in the blood and water afferent and efferent to the gills of the rainbow trout. J. exp. Biol.46, 317–327 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, G. M., Knights, B., Scammell, C. A.: The distribution ofp o 2 and hydrostatic pressure changes within the branchial chambers in relation to gill ventilation of the shore crabCarcinus maenas L. J. exp. Biol.51, 203–220 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Johansen, K., Lenfant, C., Mecklenberg, T. A.: Respiration in the crabCancer magister. Z. vergl. Physiol.70, 1–19 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, M. L.: The control of respiratory movements in Crustacea by oxygen and carbon dioxide II. J. exp. Biol.13, 467–475 (1936)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, J. D.: Comparative physiology of respiration. London: Edward Arnold 1972

    Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, B. R., Wilkens, J. L.: Simultaneous apnoea and bradycardia in the lobsterHomarus americanus. Canad. J. Zool.50, 165–170 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosser, C. L., Brown, F. A.: Comparative animal physiology, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders 1961

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, D. J., Smith, J. C.: The regulation of cardiac activity in fish in a hypoxic environment. Physiol. Zool.40, 104–113 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Redmond, J. R.: The respiratory function of haemocyanin in Crustacea. J. cell. comp. Physiol.46, 209–247 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Redmond, J. R.: The respiratory function of haemocyanin. In: Biochemistry and physiology of haemocyanins, ed. F. Ghiretti. New York: Academic Press 1968

    Google Scholar 

  • Satchell, G. H.: Circulation in fishes. Cambridge: University Press 1971

    Google Scholar 

  • Slyke, D. D. van, Neill, J. M.: The determination of gases in blood and other solutions by vacuum extraction and manometric measurement. J. biol. Chem.61, 523–573 (1924)

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, E. W., Butler, P. J.: The behaviour and physiological responses of the shore crabCarcinus maenas during changes in environmental oxygen tension. Neth. J. Sea Res. (in print) (1973)

  • Truchot, J.-P.: Fixation de l'oxygène par le sérum deCarcinus maenas (L.) (Crustacé Décapode Brachyoure). C.R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)272, Sér. D, 984–987 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Truchot, J.-P.: Fixation et transport de l'oxygène par le sang deCarcinus maenas L. (Crustacé Décapode, Brachyoure): variations en fonction de la temperature et de la salinité. Neth. J. Sea Res. (in print) (1973)

  • Wallace, J. C.: Activity and metabolic rate in the shore crab,Carcinus maenas (L.). Comp. Biochem. Physiol.41A, 523–533 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, R. E.: The physiological ecology of haemocyanin in some selected crabs. II. The characteristics of haemocyanin in relation to terrestrialness. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol.10, 193–206 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, University of Birmingham, England

    E. W. Taylor, P. J. Butler & P. J. Sherlock

Authors
  1. E. W. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. J. Butler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. J. Sherlock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This work was supported by Science Research Council Equipment Grants to E.W.T. & P.J.B.

P.J.S. held a Research Studentship from the S.R.C.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Taylor, E.W., Butler, P.J. & Sherlock, P.J. The respiratory and cardiovascular changes associated with the emersion response ofCarcinus maenas (L.) during environmental hypoxia, at three different temperatures. J. Comp. Physiol. 86, 95–115 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702531

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702531

Keywords

Search

Navigation