I was asked for a brif summary on the distribution of Lepidoptera. There are good data from Heppner (1991) and others. I haven't herad about properly antarctic moths of butterflies but... does anyone know?
It depends on how you define Antarctica. Some people include the subantarctic islands in the Antarctic "biogeographic" region, in which case you have a few moths to choose from: The South Georgia archipelago is home to three species of Lepidoptera have been recorded: Agrotis ipsilon, Plutella xylostella and Plodia interpunctella (Convey 2004: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226983167_Recent_lepidopteran_records_from_sub-Antarctic_South_Georgia), and as many as 22 species occur in Antipodes island (Patrick 1994, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03014223.1994.9517457).
Continental Antarctica, on the other hand, is extremely poor.
Article Recent lepidopteran records from sub-Antarctic South Georgia
Try contacting:
http://www.units.miamioh.edu/cryolab/education/antarcticbestiary_terrestrial.htm
I only studied the old literature on Antarctic insects from the 19th and 20th century. No Lepidoptera.
Well, the link Andrew provided says that Belgica antarctica, a wingless midge, "is the only true insect found on Antarctica, and is considered the continent’s largest terrestrial animal"
I didn't realize quite how bleak Antarctic biota is!
It depends on how you define Antarctica. Some people include the subantarctic islands in the Antarctic "biogeographic" region, in which case you have a few moths to choose from: The South Georgia archipelago is home to three species of Lepidoptera have been recorded: Agrotis ipsilon, Plutella xylostella and Plodia interpunctella (Convey 2004: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226983167_Recent_lepidopteran_records_from_sub-Antarctic_South_Georgia), and as many as 22 species occur in Antipodes island (Patrick 1994, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03014223.1994.9517457).
Continental Antarctica, on the other hand, is extremely poor.
Article Recent lepidopteran records from sub-Antarctic South Georgia
At least ants you are not going to find in iced antartic but I presum that you can find insects in other insular or firm lands which are not iced but they belong to Antartic Region
Ive collected pleanty of midges, mites and springtails in the sub-antarctic islands and the Antarctic peninsula but no leps. I did have a few species of Lepidopetera from Patagonia (Ushuaia region).
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