Animal Fact Files's video: Antarctic Midge: Antarctica s only native insect Animal Fact Files

Antarctic midges are flies and are currently the only known fully terrestrial animals to live on the continent of Antarctica. They are also Antarctica's only living true insects making them the southern most living insects. Adult Antarctic midges only live about a week during which time they reproduce. The larvae of these midges survive for two winters before moving on to the next life stage. Adults of these flies are, somewhat oxymoronically, wingless. Though it only reaches about 6mm in length, it's still the largest known terrestrial animal living in Antarctica! Scientific Name: Belgica antarctica Range: endemic to Antarctica Size: 2-6 mm (0.079-0.236 in) Diet: algae and bacteria Lifespan: 7-10 days as adults (2 years as larvae) You can learn more on: Twitter - https://twitter.com/animalfactfiles Facebook - https://facebook.com/animalfactfiles --- We always do what we can to be as accurate as possible, but we're only human; if you catch a mistake please let us know and provide a link for verification! --- All images, videos and sound effects used herein are 1) public domain, 2) used under a Creative Commons license, 3) used with the express permission of the copyright holder, or 4) used under the parameters of Fair Use law. Credits via Wiki Users: Stefanko1982 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BelgicaAntarcticaDist.png Tasteofcrayons - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Midge.jpg New Zealand Arthropod Collection - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NZAC_Pare_-_Seabird_tick.jpg Websites used for research collection: https://tinyurl.com/y3auxu96 http://metazoa.ensembl.org/Belgica_antarctica/Info/Index http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/science-belgica-antarctica-antarctic-midge-smallest-insect-genome-02100.html https://www.livescience.com/47311-antarctic-insect-smallest-genome.html https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Antarctic_Dictionary/lJd8_owUxFEC https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Strategic_Vision_for_NSF_Investments_i/1bwfCwAAQBAJ https://www.google.com/books/edition/Biology_Organisms_and_Adaptations_Media/U9dwCwAAQBAJ https://www.google.com/books/edition/Antarctica/5jIzBf2vNMoC https://www.google.com/books/edition/Low_Temperature_Biology_of_Insects/fxm9fIm7vpkC https://antarcticsun.usap.gov/science/2018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/icad.12389 http://www.units.miamioh.edu/cryolab/education/antarcticbestiary_terrestrial.htm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeeNyOAcviI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/09/science/antarctica-insects-midge-cold.html This video is licensed under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)*. *you can find information about all the different types of CC licenses here: https://creativecommons.org/ **changes were made to the original