Overwintering and cold tolerance in the moor frog (Rana arvalis, Anura) across its range

Only two species of boreal Holarctic frogs (genus Rana Linnaeus, 1758) can survive freezing and overwinter on land; they are found in the subarctic and cold regions of North America (Wood Frog, Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) and Eurasia (Moor Frog, Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842) and are an example of an unusual adaptive strategy of overwintering. Freeze tolerance (down to –16 °C) of R. sylvatica has been thoroughly studied; however, little is known about cold resistance of R. arvalis in cold regions. We found that R. arvalis from European Russia and from West Siberia tolerate freezing down to –12 or –16 °C, whereas frogs from the Danish population survived freezing only to –4 °C (Y. Voituron et al. 2009b; J. Comp. Physiol. B, 179: 223–230). All of these populations, according to mitochondrial DNA markers, are closely related. We suggest that the observed differences in cold tolerance (–4 °C vs. –12 or –16 °C) could be caused either by adaptations to climatic factors or by differences in experimental protocols. The northeastern boundary of the geographic range of R. arvalis in Yakutia coincides with the transitional area between discontinuous and continuous permafrost; beyond this area, winter soil temperature sharply declines. The lower lethal temperature and overwintering ecology of R. arvalis in Siberia are similar to those of the North American R. sylvatica.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

<i>Formica picea</i> and <i>F. candida</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Synonyms or Two Species?

Ants of the «Formica picea—F. candida» complex are widespread across Eurasia. However, it is still a matter of debate if it constitutes one or two species. In this study, we collected a sample of specimens from different parts of Eurasia, sequenced the mitochondrial cox1 and cytb genes, as well as three nuclear loci—wg, Top1, and ITS2—and analyzed the available published data. We found this complex to contain a new, yet undescribed, taxon that has a large distribution in Siberia and East Asia. Thus, the «Formica picea—F. candida» complex consists of at least three taxa with distinct distributions

Formica picea and F. candida (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Synonyms or Two Species?

Ants of the &laquo;Formica picea&mdash;F. candida&raquo; complex are widespread across Eurasia. However, it is still a matter of debate if it constitutes one or two species. In this study, we collected a sample of specimens from different parts of Eurasia, sequenced the mitochondrial cox1 and cytb genes, as well as three nuclear loci&mdash;wg, Top1, and ITS2&mdash;and analyzed the available published data. We found this complex to contain a new, yet undescribed, taxon that has a large distribution in Siberia and East Asia. Thus, the &laquo;Formica picea&mdash;F. candida&raquo; complex consists of at least three taxa with distinct distributions

Phylogeny of the Eisenia nordenskioldi complex based on mitochondrial genomes

Eisenia nordenskioldi is an earthworm widespread in Northern Asia and adjacent regions. It is known for its hig

Phylogeography of Eisenia nordenskioldi nordenskioldi (Lumbricidae, Oligochaeta) from the north of Asia

Eisenia nordenskioldi subsp. nordenskioldi is an earthworm species inhabiting a large part of Asia, from approximately the 40° of north latitude to the shores of the Arctic Ocean. This taxon is known to have very high genetic diversity and contains several cryptic genetic lineages. In this study, we investigated phylogeography of E. n. nordenskioldi populations from the northernmost part of its range, from tundra and north taiga, using mitochondrial cox1 sequences. The studied populations were mostly represented by the 9th lineage of this subspecies. This lineage was estimated to have diverged about a million years ago, and many of its populations probably survived several glacial cycles in situ. Judging by phylogeographic patterns, the ancestral range of the 9th lineage was most probably located in southern Yakutia. From this area, it dispersed to the rest of the current distribution, where specific haplotype groups were detected in certain geographic regions: the Urals, the Kolyma river basin and the shore of the East Siberian Sea, the Taui bay, the Anadyr river valley, and Kamchatka. It is noteworthy that the Verkhoyansk ridge did not act as a barrier to earthworm dispersal, as populations from the Lena, the Yana, and the Indigirka basins were genetically similar but distinct from the populations of the Kolyma river basin

Phylogeography of Eisenia nordenskioldi nordenskioldi (Lumbricidae, Oligochaeta) from the north of Asia

Eisenia nordenskioldi subsp. nordenskioldi is an earthworm species inhabiting a large part of Asia, from approximately the 40° of north latitude to the shores of the Arctic Ocean. This taxon is known to have very high genetic diversity and contains several cryptic genetic lineages. In this study, we investigated phylogeography of E. n. nordenskioldi populations from the northernmost part of its range, from tundra and north taiga, using mitochondrial cox1 sequences. The studied populations were mostly represented by the 9th lineage of this subspecies. This lineage was estimated to have diverged about a million years ago, and many of its populations probably survived several glacial cycles in situ. Judging by phylogeographic patterns, the ancestral range of the 9th lineage was most probably located in southern Yakutia. From this area, it dispersed to the rest of the current distribution, where specific haplotype groups were detected in certain geographic regions: the Urals, the Kolyma river basin and the shore of the East Siberian Sea, the Taui bay, the Anadyr river valley, and Kamchatka. It is noteworthy that the Verkhoyansk ridge did not act as a barrier to earthworm dispersal, as populations from the Lena, the Yana, and the Indigirka basins were genetically similar but distinct from the populations of the Kolyma river basin

Wintering and Cold Hardiness of the Small Tortoiseshell <i>Aglais urticae</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae, Lepidoptera) in the West and East of the Northern Palearctic

The geographic variability of the cold hardiness of poikilothermic animals is one of the keys to understanding the mechanisms of the formation of their ranges under climate change or anthropogenic introductions. A convenient object is the small tortoiseshell butterfly Aglais urticae, which is distributed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. On the edges of the distribution range, the difference between the averages of the absolute minimum air temperatures reaches 60 °C. The cold hardiness (supercooling point and lower lethal temperatures) of imago wintering in a supercooled state in the northeast of Russia was assessed in comparison to the previously studied European ones. Despite the huge difference in air temperatures, the mean supercooling points ranges in the east (−23...−29 °C) and the west (−17...−22 °C) differ by only 7 °C; the lower lethal temperatures for this species is near −30 °C. The identified cold hardiness is not enough for overwintering of A. urticae on the vast majority part of the species range in natural shelters above the level of snow cover. The inhabiting of A. urticae in regions with air temperatures below −30 °C is possible only when wintering under snow. This primitive behavioral adaptation probably does not require physiological changes and may not be unique to Lepidoptera