The critical thermal maximum of diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae): a comparison of subterranean and surface-dwelling species.

ABSTRACT: Thermal tolerance limits in animals are often thought to be related to temperature and thermal variation in their environment. Recently, there has been a focus on studying upper thermal limits due to the likelihood for climate change to expose more animals to higher temperatures and potentially extinction. Organisms living in underground environments experience reduced temperatures and thermal variation in comparison to species living in surface habitats, but how these impact their thermal tolerance limits are unclear. In this study, we compare the thermal critical maximum (CTmax) of two subterranean diving beetles (Dytiscidae) to that of three related surface-dwelling species. Our results show that subterranean species have a lower CTmax (38.3-39.0°C) than surface species (42.0-44.5°C). T

SUBMITTER: Jones KK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9387432 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature