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Cold tolerance in Tardigrada from Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

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Abstract

Survival at low temperatures was studied in three species of Tardigrada from Müihlig-Hofmannfjella, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Both hydrated and dehydrated specimens of Echiniscus jenningsi, Macrobiotus furciger and Diphascon chilenense had high survival rates following exposure to -22°C for ca. 600 days, and dehydrated specimens following 3040 days at this temperature. In hydrated E. jenningsi, mortality increased with the duration of exposure from 7 to 150 days at -80°C, while mortalities of the two other species did not change. Hydrated specimens of all species were rapidly killed at -180°C, but all species exhibited good survivorship in the dehydrated state after 14 days at -180°C. In conclusion, hydrated tardigrades are able to survive extended periods at low temperatures, and dehydrated specimens are even better adapted to survive overwintering on Antarctic nunataks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1050, N-0316, Oslo, Norway

    Lauritz Sømme & Terje Meier

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  1. Lauritz Sømme
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  2. Terje Meier
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Sømme, L., Meier, T. Cold tolerance in Tardigrada from Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Polar Biol 15, 221–224 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239062

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239062

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