Do Spiders Require Oxygen?
WouterSpiders do not breathe in the same way that humans do. Spiders use spiracles to breathe, and do not actively pump air into their lungs. Instead, oxygen is carried through tiny openings in their body walls.
The main respiratory organs of arachnids are the book lungs and the trachea. The book lungs are found in the abdomen of arachnids and scorpions. These are essentially hollow air-filled plates surrounded by spider blood. These plates are opened through slits on the abdomen.
The tracheae are long tubes that run through the body of spiders. These tracheae branch out from the book lungs. They are often poorly developed and thought to play a minor role in overall gas exchange. In addition to the book lungs, spiders also have a secondary tracheal system. These secondary tracheal ducts provide gas to a variety of organs through lateral diffusion.
The tracheal system of jumping spiders is located in the opisthosoma. Its lateral diffusing capacity is high, making it an important component of the overall gas exchange of these spiders.
The tarantula, Eurypelma californicum, has a pulmonary structure that functions differently from that of mammals. The lungs of the tarantula generate more water loss than the lungs of mammals.
The respiratory system of spiders has been studied for many years. It has been found that the majority of spiders do not breathe at the same rate as insects. In fact, some have a higher rate of metabolic activity than other poikilotherms.
