Hypoxia and lost gills: Respiratory ecology of a temperate larval damselfly

► We tested effects of lost caudal lamellae on respiration of aquatic Ischnura posita larvae. ► Oxygen consumption and critical oxygen tension were not affected by lamella loss. ► Ventilation frequency was unaffected by lost lamellae but increased under hypoxia. ► Small larval size and missing lamellae increased surface respiration under hypoxia. ► Results provide evidence for far-reaching adaptations to hypoxia in I. posita.