The Effect of

Temperature on the
Endemic Cave Beetle:
Ptomaphagus hirtus
Dr. Friedrich’s Cave Beetle Lab

Presentation by: Catherine Vink

Data contributions by: David Lilley
Ptomaphagus hirtus: Our model organism to study
the causes and consequences of cave adaptation
Ptomaphagus hirtus: Our model organism to study
the causes and consequences of cave adaptation

● Ptoma-phagus = Body-eater
Ptomaphagus hirtus: Our model organism to study
the causes and consequences of cave adaptation

● Ptoma-phagus = Body-eater
● Difficult to collect:
○ Endemic to a single cave:
■ Mammoth cave, KY
■ AND…

2 miles
Ptomaphagus hirtus: Our model organism to study
the causes and consequences of cave adaptation

● Ptoma-phagus = Body-eater
● Difficult to collect:
○ Endemic to a single cave:
■ Mammoth cave, KY
■ Wayne State
Biological Sciences
Building

2 miles
Background
Our goal: To determine the limits of the
thermotolerance of P. hirtus.
Background
Our goal: To determine the limits of the
thermotolerance of P. hirtus.

Why?
Background
Our goal: To determine the limits of the
thermotolerance of P. hirtus.

Why?

• To determine the reason why P. hirtus is endemic to

the Mammoth Cave system and to gain a better
understanding of other endemic species
Background
Our goal: To determine the limits of the
thermotolerance of P. hirtus.

Why?

• To determine the reason why P. hirtus is endemic to

the Mammoth Cave system and to gain a better
understanding of other endemic species.

• To determine why P. hirtus has not dispersed to

different environments.
 How the lab data were obtained
• Test beetles were kept in
precision incubator at
increasing temperature
 How the lab data were obtained
• Test beetles were kept in
precision incubator at
increasing temperature
• Activity was measured as
average number of beetles
crossing the aluminum
cover border during 10
mins of observation
 How the lab data were obtained
• Test beetles were kept in
precision incubator at
increasing temperature
• Activity was measured as
average number of beetles
crossing the aluminum
cover border during 10
mins of observation
• Activity was measured 2
times per temp increase:
 How the lab data were obtained
• Test beetles were kept in
precision incubator at
increasing temperature
• Activity was measured as
average number of beetles
crossing the aluminum
cover border during 10
mins of observation
• Activity was measured 2
times per temp increase:
• 24 h after raise to gauge
immediate impact
 How the lab data were obtained
• Test beetles were kept in
precision incubator at
increasing temperature
• Activity was measured as
average number of beetles
crossing the aluminum
cover border during 10
mins of observation
• Activity was measured 2
times per temp increase:
• 24 h after raise to gauge
immediate impact
• 5 days after raise to
gauge long term impact
Temperature Tolerance
of P. hirtus in the lab
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
What is preventing P. hirtus
from migrating and
expanding into other similar
environments?
Approach
• Obtained hourly surface temperatures from the National
Resources and Conservation Service’s website
Approach
• Obtained hourly surface temperatures from the National
Resources and Conservation Service’s website

• Obtained cave temperature data from Johnathan Jernigan

Approach
• Obtained hourly surface temperatures from the National
Resources and Conservation Service’s website

• Obtained cave temperature data from Johnathan Jernigan

• Analyzed each cave’s data at 3 hour intervals using Microsoft

Excel and Google Spreadsheets
Approach
• Obtained hourly surface temperatures from the National
Resources and Conservation Service’s website

• Obtained cave temperature data from Johnathan Jernigan

• Analyzed each cave’s data at 3 hour intervals using Microsoft

Excel and Google Spreadsheets

• Analyzed David’s data to find the maximum survival

temperature
Approach
• Obtained hourly surface temperatures from the National
Resources and Conservation Service’s website

• Obtained cave temperature data from Johnathan Jernigan

• Analyzed each cave’s data at 3 hour intervals using Microsoft

Excel and Google Spreadsheets

• Analyzed David’s data to find the maximum survival

temperature

• Compared all caves, surface temperature, maximum survival

temperature, and the temperature we keep the beetles in
the lab
Mammoth Park Surface
Temperature
Frozen Niagara Cave Temp
Wrights Rotunda Cave Temp
Houchins Narrow Cave Temp
Comparison to P. hirtus
Maximum Survival Temperature
Conclusions
• The lab data suggest that P. hirtus can survive up to 26
degrees celsius.

• The Mammoth Cave cave temperature data show P.

hirtus lives at constant temperature of ~12 degrees
Celsius

• In combination, the lab and Mammoth cave surface

data suggest that temperature is not the factor keeping
P. hirtus from expanding outside the cave system into
different environments.
Questions?