Abstract
The respiration rates of all four instars of Chaoborus flavicans were measured with a flow-through respirometer at an experimental temperature of 20°C. The respiration rates (μg O2 larva -1 h -1 ) increased parallel to the larval stages according to R = 0.027 X W 0.416 (W = μg dry weight), reaching a respiration rate eight times higher for instar IV than for instar I. The slope of the increase with body weight was as low as in two tropical Chaoborus species and was considerably lower than usually found for other aquatic animals. Instar IV larvae collected in the spring showed a significantly higher respiration rate than those collected in the fall. The respiration rate of the fourth instar approximately doubled with a Q 10 of 2. 1 when the experimental temperature was increased from 10 to 20°C.
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