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Figure 7 | BMC Biology

Figure 7

From: Real-time phase-contrast x-ray imaging: a new technique for the study of animal form and function

Figure 7

Comparison of x-ray impact on two different regions of the insect body. Representative CO2 traces are from two different ant specimens (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) with the x-ray beam targeted on the abdomen (a) and the head (b). Even though the abdomen-irradiated ant (a) received a higher x-ray flux (80 vs. 36 μW/mm2), it showed no discernible changes in CO2 emission pattern. In contrast, the head-irradiated ant (b) showed dramatic changes in CO2 emission, including a decrease in variance leading up to the RS (at which point the head stopped moving) and a cyclic pattern of release (similar to DGC in decapitated ants [25, 26]) thereafter.

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