RELAÇÕES FISIOECOLÓGICAS NO DIPLÓPODO Oxidus gracilis (POLYDESMIDA, STRONGYLOSOMIDADE): O CONSUMO DE OXIGÊNIO EM RELAÇÃO AO TAMANHO, SEXO E CONDIÇÃO ALIMENTAR

Abstract

The oxygen consumption of the millipede Oxidus gracilis was determined in an Warburg respirometer at 25ºC, using males and females in order to detect the physioecologic and metabolic responses related to size, sex and alimentary conditions. Expressing metabolism (M) in function to body mass (P), and employing logarithmic data in the allometrical relationships, result of the M = a. Pb equations, were: M = 2,589.P0,89 for males (21 individuals), M = 2,715.P0,78 for females (24 individuals), and M = 2,6814.P0,86 for males and females, conjointly. The regression coefficients (b indexes) showed that respiratory metabolism of Oxidus gracilis would stay in an intermediary level of dependence between body mass, and body surface. The effects of alimentary condition were studied right before feeding, and after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of fasting. At the end of the 5th day (96 h), animals had a reduction of 21,46% in body mass, and 52,37% in oxygen uptake. In both cases, reductions were significant (P<0,05). Despite of no deaths have occurred, results indicate that stress due to abstinence from food, produce more changes in metabolism than in body mass of Oxidus gracilis.