Seasonal cold adaptation dynamics of some carabid beetle species: Carabus granulatus, Pterostichus oblongopunctatus and Platynus assimilis

Abstract

Cold-hardiness can be measured by supercooling points – the temperature at which spontaneous freezing occurs. Seasonal changes in supercooling point were assessed in field-collected predacious carabid beetle species: Carabus granulatus L., Pterostichus oblongopunctatus L. and Platynus assimilis Payk. (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Supercooling ability of these beetles changed seasonally. The tested carabid beetles proved to belong to freeze-avoiding cryotype.

Keywords

• coleoptera
• carabidae
• cold-hardiness
• supercooling