Summary
The Antarctic winged midge Parochlus steinenii (Diptera:Chironomidae) and its immatures were collected from freshwater lakes near Great Wall Station (62°13′S,58°58′W) on King George Island during January and February in 1990. They were examined for supercooling ability and lower lethal temperature. They were all intolerant to freezing. Supercooling points (spontaneous freezing points) of the larvae, pupae and adults were -7.4° ±1.0°, -16.3°±4.6° and -15.3°±5.6°C, respectively. These values represented the potential limits of cold-hardiness of this species. But the median lower lethal temperatures examined under an aqueous condition were always higher than the corresponding mean supercooling points. Half of the larvae, pupae and adults in the aqueous condition were killed at about -3°, -9° and -7°C, respectively, probably due to inoculative freezing. These temperatures seemed to be the natural lower limits of survival in the immatures and some adults of this species, at least in the active season.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baust JG, Edwards JS (1979) Mechanism of freezing tolerance in an Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica. Physiol Entomol 4:1–5
Block W, Young SR, Conradi-Larsen EM, Sømme L (1978) Cold tolerance of two Antarctic terrestrial arthropods. Experientia 34:1166–1167
Edwards M, Usher MB (1985) The winged Antarctic midge Parochlus steinenii (Gerke) (Diptera: Chironomidae) in the South Shetland Islands. Biol J Linn Soc 26:83–93
Rauschert M (1985) Beobachtungen an der Chironomide Parochlus steineni auf der Insel King George (Südshetlandinseln, Antarktis). Dtsch Ent ZNF 32:183–188
Salt RW (1966) Factors influencing nucleation in supercooled insects. Can J Zool 44:117–133
Sømme L, Block W (1982) Cold hardiness of Collembola at Signy Island, maritime Antarctic. Oikos 38:168–176
Usher MB, Edwards M (1984) A dipteran from south of the Antarctic Circle: Belgica antarctica (Chironomidae), with a description of its larva. Biol J Linn Soc 22:19–31
Wirth WW, Gressitt JL (1967) Diptera: Chironomidae (midge). In: Gressitt JL (ed) Entomology of Antarctica (Antarct Res Ser 10). American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, pp 197–203
Young SR, Block W (1980) Experimental studies on the cold tolerance of Alaskozetes antarcticus. J Insect Physiol 26:189–200
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shimada, K., Ohyama, Y. & Pan, C.X. Cold-hardiness of the Antarctic winged midge Parochlus steinenii during the active season at King George Island. Polar Biol 11, 311–314 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239023
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239023