干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Blaps faustii Seidlitz exhibits a distinct circadian rhythm of activity. There are two maximums of activity coinciding with twilight and dawn time, but activity may be also observed during night. This rhythm is kept under constant darkness and temperature. Changes in illumination during a day serve a time cue and promote shifting a rhythm phase holding the permanent phase angle. Temperature influences on the level of B. faustii activity but only during their active period when temperature does not change the rhythm phase. The beetles change their response to illumination for a day; in the middle of day they went to shelters. The circadian rhythm saves the beetles from effects of high day temperature and allows them to be active for a long time. Due to this adaptation, the beetles are able to be active on the ground surface from early spring to late autumn under arid conditions of Middle Asian deserts.