Belgica antarctica

Belgica antarctica

Belgica antarctica is a living in the Antarctic wingless chironomid ( Chironomidae ). With a length of only 2-6 mm, it is the largest permanently living on this continent land animal This has been made Discovered Belgica antarctica during the Belgica expedition, which explored parts of Antarctica in 1889. The later become known Antarctic traveler Frederick Cook and Roald Amundsen were members of this expedition.

Way of life

The larvae of the mosquito have focused the extreme conditions of Antarctica adapted very well. They survive extremely salty and acidic environments. Several weeks without oxygen are not a problem either as an almost complete dehydration or freezing for most of the living larvae. Scientists at Miami University in the U.S. found that larvae that have been previously suspended for at least one hour of cold -5 ° C then also survived temperatures of -20 ° C. The other hand, if the temperature falls evenly and relatively quickly, most larvae die at -10 ° C.