Spiracle

Spiracles are respiratory openings found on the thorax and abdomen of insects. The spiracles are connected to trachea - tubes within the insect's body. Air enters the trachea via the spiracles and the oxygen then diffuses into the insect's body.

Insect blood, haemolymph, is not used to transfer oxygen around the body of the insect.

The spiracles are clearly visible as black dots on the side of each body segment of this beetle larva.

Related terms

• Book lung
• Haemolymph
• Maggots
• Trachea
• Tracheoles

Related groups of terms

• Invertebrate body structure

Related pages on this web site

• Insect body structure
• Insect respiration

See other words beginning with S