Studies on the wingless fly (Calycopteryx moseleyi minor. end.) at Heard Island, 1951

A scanned report and some data on scientific work carried out on a species of wingless fly on Heard Island.

Taken from the report:

During a years stay at Heard Island (1951) the opportunity was taken of carrying out a number of physiological experiments upon one of the three dipterous species present. For these experiments it was decided to use samples of Calycopteryx moseleyi minor since these were present around the camp in sufficient numbers to be conveniently collected.

Observations were of two kinds (1) Those carried out in the field (2) Laboratory experiments. The first included the determination of the life history of the species together with details of its food, normal habitat and other pertinent data whilst the latter consisted of thermal, phototaxic and environmental experiments.

Naturally conditions on an Antarctic field station are not propitious for accurate physiological experiments since both climatic conditions and lack of technical apparatus present difficult obstacles. However, the animals concerned are of such interest to comparative physiologists that the limiting factors of the experiments become relatively unimportant.