Difference between revisions of "Template:POTD protected"

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The '''[[Antarctic midge]]''' is a species of flightless midge, endemic to the continent of [[Antarctica]]. At 0.079–0.24 in long, it is the largest purely terrestrial animal on the continent, as well as its only insect. It also has the smallest known insect genome as of 2014, with only 99 million base pairs of nucleotides (and about 13,500 genes).
The '''[[Bennett Nunataks]]''' are two rock [[nunatak]]s 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) apart, lying 0.5 nautical miles north of Lackey Ridge in the [[Ohio Range]] of the [[Horlick Mountains]].


This species is the [[National Symbols of Westarctica|national insect]] of [[Westarctica]].
The nunataks were surveyed by the United States [[Antarctic]] Research Program Horlick Mountains Traverse party in December 1958. The Bennett Nunataks were named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for John B. Bennett, a geomagnetist-seismologist at [[Byrd Station]] in 1960.


To adapt to the cold temperatures, the Antarctic midge accumulates trehalose, glucose, and erythritol. These compounds help the insect survive freezing by reducing the amount of ice that forms within the body. They also stabilize proteins and membranes, binding to them by means of hydrogen bonds. Heat shock proteins also help the tolerance to both high and low temperatures.
<p><small>Photographer: David Soto</small></p>
 
It not only tolerates, but also requires a freezing climate to survive: exposure of larvae to mild temperatures as +10 °C is enough to kill them within a week. Exposure to temperatures of +30 °C kills individuals in a few hours. It can, however, resist partial desiccation, surviving the loss of up to 70% of body water.
 
<p><small>Photographer: Tasteofcrayons</small></p>
[[:Category:Images|'''(More Featured Images)''']]
[[:Category:Images|'''(More Featured Images)''']]
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Revision as of 06:56, 25 February 2019

Bennett Nunataks.png

The Bennett Nunataks are two rock nunataks 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) apart, lying 0.5 nautical miles north of Lackey Ridge in the Ohio Range of the Horlick Mountains.

The nunataks were surveyed by the United States Antarctic Research Program Horlick Mountains Traverse party in December 1958. The Bennett Nunataks were named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for John B. Bennett, a geomagnetist-seismologist at Byrd Station in 1960.

Photographer: David Soto

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