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Alaskozetes antarcticus is a species of non-parasitic mite, known for its ability to survive in subzero temperatures. [1]This animal's name derives from its habitat: Alasko, meaning "from Alaska", and antarcticus, in connection with frigid conditions in which the mite lives.
Freeze-avoidant insects cannot tolerate internal ice formation, so they avoid freezing by depressing the temperature at which their body fluids freeze. This is done through supercooling, the process by which a liquid cools below its freezing point without changing phase into a solid. In order for water to freeze, a nucleus must be present upon ...
Many invertebrates on the subantarctic islands can live in subzero temperatures without freezing, whereas those on the mainland can survive being frozen. [14] Mites and springtails make up most terrestrial arthropod species, although various spiders, beetles, and flies can be found. [13]
The fresh water allows moss and other plants to grow, which in turn provide food for mites that are adapted to the cold climate – they can survive temperatures up to minus 30 °C because they contain a kind of antifreeze. They become active as soon as the ice melts, and reproduce whenever they get an opportunity to do so.
Mites of domestic animals cause important types of skin disease, and some mites infest other organs. Diagnosis of mite infestations can be difficult because of the small size of most mites, but understanding how mites are adapted to feed within the structure of the skin is useful.
Unfavorable conditions in the environment cause impairment of development and survival at all stages. Mites are killed at all stages when exposed to temperatures above 105 °F (41 °C) or below 35 °F (2 °C) for several days. In terms of humidity, the mites desiccate at levels below 20%. The mites also drown if they are wet.
Freezing temperatures from a harsh arctic blast are expected to affect nearly 300 million Americans across most of the continental U.S. in the coming days, according to the National Weather Service.
They inhabit organic debris of all kinds and are extremely numerous in leaf litter. They feed on animals, plants and fungi and some are parasites of plants and animals. [37] Some 48,200 species of mites have been described, [38] but there may be a million or more species as yet undescribed. [16]