Beyond the frozen spread of Antarctica, there is only one purely terrestrial animal. It is a small insect called the Antarctic midge. Only 0.2 inches long, this flightless creature has eliminated its existence in one of the world’s most relentless climates for about 30 million years since its home continent. Split out of South America.
Researchers have been studying these justices for decades, documenting their impressive resistance to extreme situations. However, it was never clear how they endured the frigid polar winters. Currently, researchers at Osaka University in Japan have revealed the physiological mechanisms behind it. Belgica Antarctic Cold Acquisition – Something not observed in other species.
Cold temperature of insects
Like hibernation bears, many insects slow down the body’s processes during the harsh winter. But for them, dormant has two different flavors. The first thing called static relies on environmental cues. When the temperature drops sharply, metabolism automatically tapers. The second dormant thing is genetically programmed to kick in at certain stages of biological development, regardless of what the weather is doing.
Static and mandatory dormancy have different benefits, with most insect species choosing one or the other. However, Antarctica Midge employs both during its two-year lifecycle. It’s an unprecedented combination. Prime Minister Yoshida, now a postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State University, explains this will help them make the most of their short summer.
It’s an original strategy. As Yoshida and her colleagues write, during the first winter, Justice is accompanied by a stillness, “to allow for a quick transition between active and inactive lifestyles.” It wakes up whenever temperatures rise above a certain threshold, allowing you to make the most of these refreshing periods for feeding and growing.
read more: Did ancient civilizations live in Antarctica?
Dodge for development
It is perfect for the first year when every individual is wandering alone in search of food. But the second winter complicates things. Once it’s finished, the entire generation needs to come out at once, ready to be recreated in the last few days on Earth. If they are out of sync, it can spell out the fate of the species.
The problem is that thousands of yuppis are not necessarily mature at the same rate. If they rush into stationary without warning on all autumn days, the temperature suddenly drops, and they get caught up in various stages of development. And come in the summer It will appear At these different stages, many of them are still sexually immature.
Mandatory dormancy solves this by ensuring that the entire population is dormant just before nurturing, the final conversion of larvae to adulthood. Each midge follows its own timeline, with the slow Bloomer sleeping longer for the winter than his precocious counterparts. That way, they will appear on the same developmental schedule as the snow melts and bright reproductive success continues.
Survive extreme situations
Other insects are not known to switch between stationary and essential dormancy. However, under the right circumstances, given the unique demands of rare, cold environments, it seems like a logical game plan. In fact, Yoshida suggests that it may be a common strategy for species living in the Arctic and alpine belts as well as the Antarctic.
But it may take a while before that is confirmed, given that it took the Osaka team six years to establish a way to raise Antarctica yupping in the lab (ironically, it’s hard to determine the temperature they prefer, due to such hardy creatures).
So for now, they are in their class. And as the author said, their adaptability is a “will,” as he stated, “to face extreme challenges and to this kind of resilience.”
read more: What a mysterious Bloop taught me about Antarctica
article sauce
Our author discovermagazine.com Our articles use peer-reviewed research and high-quality sources, and editors review scientific accuracy and editing criteria. Check out the sources used below in this article.
Cody Cottier is a Contributor writer at Discover, who loves to explore big questions about the universe and our home planet, the nature of consciousness, the ethical implications of science, and more. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media production from Washington State University.
