Spiracles: The external openings of the insect breathing (tracheal) system, found along the abdomen.
Spiracles open into large tracheal tubes. These, in turn, lead to ever-finer branches. The branches penetrate to every part of the body.
There are openings along their bodies called spiracles where oxygen can enter and carbon dioxide leave. The air enters the tracheal pipes which are supported by chitinous rings. These trachea branch repeatedly until they are very thin.
They exchange gases through a tracheal system, with external openings called spiracles dividing into finely branched tubules that carry gases directly to metabolizing tissues.
Spiracles are openings at the body surface that lead to tracheae that branch into smaller tubes known as tracheoles. Body movements or contractions speed up the rate of diffusion of gases from tracheae into body cells.
full of pores; having interstices in the skin or in the substance of the body; having spiracles or passages for fluids; permeable by liquids; as, a porous skin; porous wood. The veins of porous earth.
Origin: Cf. F. Poreux. See Pore.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach has the ability to press air through the spiracles to make a hissing noise, and the Death's-head Hawkmoth makes a squeaking noise by forcing air out of their pharynx.
Chemical communication ...
tracheae The small tubes that carry air from spiracles through the body cavity of an arthropod; arthropod tracheae are modifications of the exoskeleton.
spiracle -- In insects and some other terrestrial arthropods, a small opening through which air is taken into the tracheae. Insects have several spiracles, arranged along the sides of the abdomen.
 See also: Organ, Trachea, Tissue, Animal, Muscle
  
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