What strategy do Whirligig beetles (*Gyrinidae*) use to access atmospheric oxygen while submerged?
Answer
They trap a layer of air beneath their hardened forewings.
The Whirligig beetle is specialized for life near the air-water boundary. For respiration, they employ a method involving their hardened forewings (elytra). They deliberately trap a layer of air beneath these covers when diving or patrolling submerged areas. This trapped air functions identically to a physical gill, providing the beetle with a constant supply of oxygen extracted through diffusion from the surrounding water, while simultaneously maintaining a direct link to atmospheric oxygen when the beetle rises.
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