Abstract
The ecology and physiology of a free-living mite species Antarcticola meyeri, Cryptostigmata, rarely discovered in the Continental Antarctic Zone, were studied near the Japanese Antarctic Base, Syowa Station. The distribution of this mite species correlated noticeably with the distribution of its food, the imperfect lichen species, which grow in moss carpets. Within a limited habitat, this mite species preferred dry carpets to wet carpets. Low humidity appeared disadvantageous to the species at high temperatures (ca. 30°C), but at low temperatures (ca. -25°C), low humidity appeared advantageous. This may explain why this species preferred dry carpets. The mean supercooling point of starved individuals was -30.6°C (nymphs) to-33.9°C (eggs). When fed with lichens, however, it was significantly raised, probably because the gut contents functioned as ice nucleators or contained ice-nucleating agents. Acclimation to low temperatures significantly lowered the supercooling point of larvae but not of other growth stages.
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Sugawara, H., Ohyama, Y. & Higashi, S. Distribution and temperature tolerance of the Antarctic free-living mite Antarcticola meyeri (Acari, Cryptostigmata). Polar Biol 15, 1–8 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236117
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236117