Obligate diapause and its termination shape the life-cycle seasonality of an Antarctic insect.

ABSTRACT: The Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica, is a unique insect endemic to Antarctica. It has a 2-year life cycle, with larvae overwintering in two different instars and adults emerging the following summer. This seasonality is crucial for adaptation to Antarctica's harsh climates and ephemeral growing seasons; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We found that, under summer-like conditions, larvae could develop from egg to the fourth-instar larval stage without interruption, but they never pupated. Spontaneous developmental arrest at this stage suggests that they overwinter in obligate diapause, a genetically determined period of dormancy. The winter cold can terminate this diapause, and long-term cold exposure is more effective. Although this species can utilise two alternative

SUBMITTER: Yoshida M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11822100 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature