Optocardiographic recording of heart rate in Talitrus saltator (Amphipoda: Talitridae)

Abstract.  An optocardiographic non-invasive technique was used to monitor heart activity in small arthropods. Heart rate was recorded in adult individuals of the supralittoral amphipod Talitrus saltator after 3 h of immersion in marine artificial water (0, 11 and 33‰, t  = 15 ± 1 °C). Mean heart rate (± SE) ranged from 210 ± 26 beats min^?1 (at 33‰) to 276 ± 15 beats min^?1 (at 0‰) and, despite the small increase in temperature (0.5 °C) due to the infrared beam, the heart frequency remained constant for several hours. Neither the glue used to apply the sensor to the animal nor the beating of the pleopods affected heart rate. This technique could be a useful tool for the investigation of ecophysiological aspects in T. saltator , which is already well known for its ecology and behaviour.