What must remain wet for woodlice to breathe using pseudotracheae?
Answer
The pseudotracheae themselves
The pseudotracheae, which are the specialized lung-like respiratory structures derived from pleopods, function by operating fundamentally like gills even when adapted for air. Because of this fundamental biological mechanism, these structures require external moisture to function effectively for gas exchange. If the pseudotracheae dry out, the woodlouse will essentially suffocate, regardless of whether the ambient air temperature is otherwise suitable. This critical dependence on wet respiratory surfaces is the single greatest constraint limiting their successful colonization of drier environments.
Related Questions
What major taxonomic group do woodlice belong to, unlike insects?What two life-threatening hurdles did the move to dry land present?What is the suborder classification for terrestrial woodlice?What evolutionary term describes gills co-opted for terrestrial respiration?Which morphology describes sow bugs regarding their tail appendages (uropods)?What must remain wet for woodlice to breathe using pseudotracheae?What trait was already established in ancient sea woodlice before land colonization?What distinction separates Pill Bugs from Sow Bugs regarding their morphology?What ecological service makes terrestrial isopods vital in forest environments?What characteristic is shared by the pill millipedes and true woodlice?