Records of Parochlus steinenii in the Maritime Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.

This study provides the summary of the reports of the geographical distribution in the Maritime Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions of Parochlus steinenii (Gercke, 1889) (Diptera, Chironomidae), the only flying insect occurring naturally in the Antarctic continent. The distribution encompasses the South Shetland Islands (Maritime Antarctic), South Georgia (sub-Antarctic), and parts of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR, southern Chile). In total 78 occurrence records were identified, 53 from our own records, 19 from the literature, and six from other data present in GBIF. Of the 78 records, 66 are from the South Shetland Islands, eight are from South Georgia, and four from the CHBR. This database was developed as one of the main objectives of two Chilean-funded research projects addressing understanding the effects of climate change on sub-Antarctic and Antarctic insects. It provides dataset documenting the distribution of Parochlus steinenii in the Maritime Antarctic, the sub-Antarctic, and the CHBR in southern South America (Chile). The complete dataset is available in Darwin Core Archive format via the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Assessing distribution shifts and ecophysiological characteristics of the only Antarctic winged midge under climate change scenarios.

Parts of Antarctica were amongst the most rapidly changing regions of the planet during the second half of the Twentieth Century. Even so, today, most of Antarctica remains in the grip of continental ice sheets, with only about 0.2% of its overall area being ice-free. The continent's terrestrial fauna consists only of invertebrates, with just two native species of insects, the chironomid midges Parochlus steinenii and Belgica antarctica. We integrate ecophysiological information with the development of new high-resolution climatic layers for Antarctica, to better understand how the distribution of P. steinenii may respond to change over the next century under different IPCC climate change scenarios. We conclude that the species has the potential to expand its distribution to include parts of the west and east coasts of the Antarctic Peninsula and even coastal ice-free areas in parts of continental Antarctica. We propose P. steinenii as an effective native sentinel and indicator species of climate change in the Antarctic.