What Type of Arthropods Live in the Tundra?
Arthropods form the largest biological phylum in the world, with a membership estimated at 5 million species. Arthropods have existed since the early days of the Cambrian period, making them almost as old as life on Earth itself. In addition to these credentials, arthropods also claim members in nearly every environment on earth, including dry, cold biomes such as the tundra.
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Presence in the Tundra Steppes
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A study published in the 2002 edition of the Russian journal "Zoologiceskij žurnal" found a variety of arthropod life in the tundra-steppe area of Chukotka, at the very northeast corner of Russia. The species found were xerophilous insects including the shieldbugs Antheminia eyrynota remota and Phimodera laevilinea; the weevils Ceutorhunchus senicilus and Tychius tectus; the cryophytic steppe weevils Coniocleonus zherichini and Hypera deversipunctata; the pill beetle Morychus viridis; and the tundra-steppe weevil Pseudaplemonus bermani.
Presence in Alpine Tundra
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A 1971 study by the University of Tennessee found there to be a large arthropod population in the Colorado alpine tundra, including Cicadellidae (leafhoppers), Acrididae (grasshoppers), Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles), Erythraeidae (erythraeid mites), Lycosidae (wolf spiders), Thomisidae (crab spiders), Carabidae (ground beetles), Micryphantidae (dwarf spiders) and Diplopoda (millipedes).
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How They Do It
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Arthropods are cold-blooded animals, meaning they have no internal system for body temperature regulation. Instead, they rely on the sun for warmth in the unforgiving cold of the tundra. They may bask out in the sun for hours in order to absorb some energy. In addition, most species found in the tundra are essentially smaller versions of other species that live in a warmer biome. Small size for these insects means not radiating too much of their precious heat.
Biting and Blood-sucking Tundra Insects
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Though always cold, the tundra does warm somewhat during the summer to allow for more species to be active. A notable and unfortunate sub-group of the animals that come out during summer in the tundra are pests such as black flies, deer flies, mosquitoes and midges. These insects have a powerful and annoying presence in the tundra during the summer months.
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References
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