Printed in Great Britain OXYGEN CONSUMPTION OF THE TERRESTRIAL MITE ALASKOZETES ANTARCTICUS (ACARI: CRYPTOSTIGMATA)

• Main Authors: William Block, Leicester Lei Jrh
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1976
• Subjects: Antarctic; The Antarctic; Alaskozetes antarcticus; Antarc*; antarcticus; Mite
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.495.7404; http://jeb.biologists.org/content/68/1/69.full.pdf

Analysis of 148 measurements of individual respiration rate showed that although respiration was linearly related to live weight on a double log10 scale, there were significant differences between rates at o°, + 50 and +10 °C. Proto- and deutonymphal metabolic rates were higher than other stages, especially at +10 °C. Q10 values ranged from 2-07 to 3-83 over o ° to +10 °C. Equations relating individual respiratory rate to live weight and temperature for A. antarcticus, and metabolic rate to temperature for 10 species of Antarctic terrestrial invertebrates were developed. Comparison with tem-perate data indicated considerable cold adaptation in the Antarctic species with 3-5 times increased metabolism. It was calculated that 78—82 % of the energy assimilated may be used in respiration by A. antarcticus.