Burrowing energetics of the Giant Burrowing Cockroach Macropanesthia rhinoceros: an allometric study

Abstract

Burrowing is an important life strategy for many insects, yet the energetic cost of constructing burrows has never been studied in insects of different sizes. Open flow respirometry was used to determine the allometric scaling of standard metabolic rate (MRS) and burrowing metabolic rate (MRB) in the heaviest extant cockroach species, the Giant Burrowing Cockroach Macropanesthia rhinoceros, at different stages of development. At 10 °C, MRS (mW) scales with body mass (M; g) according to the allometric power equation, MRS=0.158M(0.74), at 20 °C the equation is MRS=0.470M(0.53), and at 30 °C the equation is MRS=1.22M(0.49) (overall Q10=2.23). MRS is much lower in M. rhinoceros compared to other insect species, which is consistent with several aspects of their life history, including flightlessness, extreme longevity (>5 years), burrowing, parental behaviour, and an energy-poor diet (dry eucalypt leaf litter). Energy expenditure during burrowing at 25 °C scales according to MRB=16.9M(0.44), and is approximately 17 times higher than resting rates measured at the same temperature, although the metabolic cost over a lifetime is probably low, because the animal does not burrow to find food. The net cost of transport by burrowing (Jm(-1)) scales according to NCOT=120M(0.49), and reflects the energetically demanding task of burrowing compared to other forms of locomotion. The net cost of excavating the soil (J cm(-3)) is statistically independent of body size.

Keywords: Allometry; Burrowing; Cockroach; Cost of transport; Metabolic rate; Scaling.