Diapausing larvae of the midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) survive at subzero temperatures in a supercooled state but tolerate freezing if inoculated by external ice

Autor: Vladimír KOŠŤÁL, Jan HAVELKA
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2000
Předmět:
Zdroj: European Journal of Entomology, Vol 97, Iss 3, Pp 433-436 (2000)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1210-5759
1802-8829
DOI: 10.14411/eje.2000.066
Popis: Diapausing larvae of Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) had relatively low supercooling points (SCP) ranging from -19.0 to -26.4°C. None of the specimens that froze at this temperature survived. A high survival rate (up to 87%) at -10°C for 10 days was observed in supercooled larvae. Such features are characteristic for insects that use a chill-tolerance strategy of cold hardiness. However, the cocoons formed by the diapausing larvae were penetrable by external ice crystals and the larvae showed a relatively high survival rate (23 - 34%) at -10°C for 10 days also in the frozen state caused by inoculation by external ice at high subzero temperatures. Such a duality with respect to cold hardiness strategies seems to be ecologically relevant to overwintering in soil habitats where there may be unpredictable contact with external ice.
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