This dataset is presented in the manuscript titled: 'Discontinuous gas exchange in Madagascar hissing cockroaches is not a consequence of hysteresis around a fixed PCO₂ threshold'; published in JEB. The primary purpose of this investigation was to test if discontinuous gas exchange cycles (DGCs) were caused by PCO₂ fluctuations around ventilatory setpoints. Madagascar hissing cockroaches were exposed to normoxic acapnia and treatments of either hypoxic acapnia, and normoxic hypercapnia, while displaying continious gas exchange, and DGCs. Hemolymph PO₂ and PCO₂ were measured in conjunction with ventilatory frequency and VCO₂ released. This data displays the changes in ventilatory parameters observed during ambient gas manipulations.

This dataset was collected from Madagascar hissing cockroaches displaying continuous gas exchange patterns and discontinuous gas exchange cycles (DGCs). Cockroaches were implanted with oxygen and carbon dioxide optodes and fixed inside of a flow through respirometry setup with their abdomens positioned above an infrared activity detector. Intact cockroaches displaying continuous ventilation were exposed to a 9h treatment of normoxic acapnia, and a 9h treatment of either hypoxic acapnia, or normoxic hypercapnia. Cockroaches were then decerebrated to trigger sustained DGCs and were exposed to the same treatment of manipulated ambient gas tensions. Hemolymph PO₂ and PCO₂ fluctuations were measured, along with ventilation frequency, and rate of CO₂ release. The raw data was recorded onto Labchart software.

The relevant parameters were identified, and measurements were harvested from the raw ventilatory traces. These measurements were processed into the Mean, SD, and N values which are reported in the uploaded datasheet's 'compiled_data' tab. For ease of comparison, the mean values recorded in the control gas (normoxic acapnia) and the treatment gas (either hypoxic acapnia or normoxic hypercapnia) are paired in univariate scatterplots on the other tabs of the datasheet, alongside scatterplots illustrating the degrees of change.

Exhaled CO₂ could not be measured in hypercapnia, and so the cells for these measurements have been blanked out. There are also instances of missing values resulting from equipment error or experimental limitations, in these instances the cells are left empty.