Barbara Feldmeyer

Abstract INTRODUCTION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION MATERIALS AND METHODS Acknowledgments Supplementary Materials REFERENCES Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Venom peptides are key to the evolutionary success of most venomous animals, including stinging ants. The stingless ant subfamily Formicinae is thought to rely solely on formic acid in their venoms, despite early, unsubstantiated hints of proteinaceous venom constituents.

1 Introduction In their natural habitats, most organisms are subjected to a range of temperatures throughout their lifespan. Temperature can vary across multiple temporal and spatial scales, ranging from gradual changes across seasons overlain by multiday weather periods and rapid fluctuations over the course of a single day, as well as spatial thermal heterogeneity within the habitat.

Abstract Oxidative stress, driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS), poses a major challenge for organisms facing temperature fluctuations. This study provides the first direct in vivo measurements of ROS production in an insect, Chironomus riparius, across a broad range of ecologically relevant temperatures. We observed a U-shaped pattern of oxidative stress, with minimal ROS levels within an optimal thermal window (12-18C) and significantly elevated stress at both cold and warm extremes.