The Effect of Temperature on The Metabolic Rate of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches

Abstract

Madagascar hissing cockroaches, Gromphadorhina portentosa, are an ectothermic species. Ectothermic species regulate body temperature by using their current habitat. We questioned whether or not temperature would increase the respiration rate of this species under different circumstances. To test this, we measured the respiration rate of the cockroaches by placing them in bio chambers which were set at three varied temperature settings. Our control group was the cockroaches’ CO2 output at room temperature. Our results showed that temperature does have an impact on the respiration rate of Madagascar hissing cockroaches. The data collected from the experiment depicts a higher production of CO2 in both the cold and hot temperature environments. Our hypothesis was partially supported from conducting this experiment.