THE EFFECTS OF SUDDEN CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE ON AQUATIC AND AERIAL RESPIRATION IN THE LOBSTER, HOMARUS-GAMMARUS (L)

A sudden change in external temperature was followed in the lobster by a similar change in body temperature, which took 6 min in submerged a nimals but 1-2 h during aerial exposure. Submerged lobsters showed a v entilatory response to a sudden decrease in temperature but not to a s udden increase. Sudden changes in water temperature had no effect on h aemolymph oxygen levels and acid-base status. An abrupt change in air temperature after 3 h aerial exposure, led to a decline in haemolymph oxygen content and a disruption of acid-base status, resulting in an u ncompensated respiratory and metabolic acidosis with an increase in ai r temperature and a respiratory and metabolic alkalosis with a decreas e in temperature.