These insect submariners survive depths that should crush them
Insect larvae in Lake Malawi survive extreme underwater pressure by using specialized air sacs that function like submarine ballast tanks. These sacs, made of elastic resilin, allow the larvae to migrate vertically through deep, low-oxygen waters.
Why it matters
This biological adaptation challenges previous assumptions about why insects are rarely found in deep-sea environments.
Deep-diving insect larvae in an African lake are forcing scientists to reconsider a popular explanation for why insects are almost entirely absent from the open ocean. Their secret is a remarkably durable system of air sacs that can tolerate far more pressure than researchers expected.
Billions of lake fly larvae ( Chaoborus edulis ), living in Lake Malawi in East Africa, complete an extraordinary vertical migration every day.
During daylight hours, the larvae descend more than 200 meters into a deep region of the lake with very little oxygen. This area, often called a dead zone, offers shelter from predators that cannot easily survive there. After dark, the larvae rise toward the surface to feed, although they must first pass through large numbers of fish waiting to eat them.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in