Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

A novel cold-tolerant insect found in a Himalayan glacier

Abstract

Here we report the discovery of a new species of cold-tolerant midge (Chironomidae, Diamesa Meigen sp.) in a high-altitude glacier of the Nepal Himalayas. The adult insect, characterized by reduced wings and antennae (Fig. 1a), is unable to fly, and is found walking on the surface of the glacier and in small cavities beneath it. The larvae grow in melt-water drainage channels under the ice and feed on blue-green algae and bacteria. The insect is the first to be found which spends its entire life cycle in the snow and ice of a glacier—the coldest insect habitat ever recorded1,2. The insect was active at temperatures as low as −16°C, well below those at which activity has been seen in insects living in other cold habitats, including Antarctic ones. The study also reveals a previously unsuspected ecosystem based on the algae and bacteria growing on glacial ice.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Swan, L. W. Scient. Am. 205, 68–78 (1961).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Mani, M. S. Introduction to High Altitude Entomology (Methuen, London, 1962).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kohshima, S. in Glacial Studies in Langtang Valley (ed. Higuchi, K.) 91–97 (Data Center for Glacier Research, Japanese Society of Snow and Ice, Nagoya University, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kohshima, S. & Hidaka, T. Biol. Inland Wat. 2, 19–23 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sugg, P., Edwards, J. S. & J. Ecol. Ent. 8, 105–113 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Oliver, D. R. A. Rev. Ent. 16, 211–230 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kohshima, S. A novel cold-tolerant insect found in a Himalayan glacier. Nature 310, 225–227 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310225a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310225a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing