Madagascar hissing cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portensa) and their metabolic response to hot and cold temperatures

Abstract

Our Investigation studied the effect of temperature on CO2 production in Madagascar hissing cockroaches. We wanted to test the varying temperatures on cockroaches to prove that high temperatures correlate with high metabolic rate. We put three cockroaches in chambers that were set at: 10oC, 25oC, and 30oC. We concluded that the metabolic rate was highest in the room temperature chamber. We believed this happened because, as ectotherms they rely on their environment to regulate their own temperature.