This study determined that T. longicornis has three physiological
characteristics of group III sandhopper within the Talitridae. First,
they regulate their blood osmolality and chloride ion concentrations
at relatively constant level over a salinity range from 1 to 40‰ and
have a relatively homoiosmotic pattern. Second, they can respire in
both air and water but uptake oxygen at higher rates in air. Third,
they can compensate for changes in temperature, as Q10 values for
respiration in air were less than 2.0. Therefore, their supratidal habitat,
complex behaviors (e.g. Forward et al., 2009a, 2010; Walsh et al.,
2010), and physiological adaptations support the hypothesis that T.
longicornis is highly modified for life in the supratidal zone and confirm
its position within talitridae as group III sandhoppers.