Crush-resistant air sacs allow insect larvae to exploit aquatic habitats at extreme depth.

The absence of aquatic insects from pelagic marine habitats has been attributed to their air-filled tracheal respiratory system, which could implode at depth while undertaking diel vertical migrations to escape predatory fish.

The absence of aquatic insects from pelagic marine habitats has been attributed to their air-filled tracheal respiratory system, which could implode at depth while undertaking diel vertical migrations to escape predatory fish. However, we found that the aquatic larvae of the…