A dipteran from south of the Antarctic Circle: Belgica antarctica (Chironomidae) with a description of its larva
Belgica antarctica Jacobs is recorded for the first time from two localities south of the Antarctic circle: Orford Cliff (66°55'S) on the Continental mainland and the Refuge Islands (68°21'S). The larva is described, and measurements of head capsule lengths indicate four instars. The larvae south of the Antarctic circle appear to be slightly smaller than those from within the main distributional range. Belgica antarctica is certainly the earth's southernmost free‐living holometabolous insect, but the flea Glaciopsyllus antarcticus has been recorded 14 minutes of latitude farther south than the southernmost records of B. antarctica.