Thermal-physiology
Guides
Cicindela longilabris longilabris
Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle
Cicindela longilabris longilabris, the Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle, is a subspecies of tiger beetle native to boreal regions of North America. It is distinguished from related subspecies by its association with northern forest and prairie habitats, with populations occurring in both continuous boreal zones and isolated climatic refugia. Physiological studies indicate this subspecies exhibits specific thermal and metabolic adaptations to cold environments. The subspecies is known to hybridize with C. l. nebraskana in zones of contact, producing intergrade populations.
Euryurus leachii
Leach's millipede, Log Lurker
Euryurus leachii is a flat-backed millipede in the family Euryuridae, commonly known as Leach's millipede or the Log Lurker. It is endemic to North America and is frequently encountered in forested habitats, particularly in association with decaying wood. The species has been studied for its thermal physiology, showing a critical thermal maximum of approximately 40.5°C with seasonal plasticity in heat tolerance.
Oedoparena
Oedoparena is a small genus of flies in the family Dryomyzidae, comprising three known species. It is the only known dipteran genus whose larvae prey on marine barnacles. These flies function as intertidal mesopredators with documented ecological impacts on high intertidal community structure.
Pogonomyrmex californicus
California harvester ant
Pogonomyrmex californicus is a seed-harvesting ant native to southwestern North America. It is the most widely distributed species in the genus Pogonomyrmex. The species exhibits a striking social polymorphism: most populations have single-queen colonies (monogyny), but some California populations show primary polygyny where multiple unrelated queens cooperate in colony founding and coexist in mature colonies. It possesses a powerful sting and has been used historically by Indigenous peoples for ritual and medicinal purposes. The species is a prominent model for studying the evolution of social behavior, cooperation, and epigenetic regulation of aggression.
Prenolepis
Winter Ants and Allies
Prenolepis is a genus of ants in the subfamily Formicinae with a wide geographic distribution spanning southeastern Asia, southern China, North America, southern Europe, Anatolia, Cuba, Haiti, and West Africa. The genus is best known for P. imparis, commonly called the winter ant or false honey ant, which exhibits unique cold-adapted activity patterns and serves as a model organism for thermal physiology research. Most Prenolepis species are small, ground-nesting ants that inhabit woodland and forest environments.