Temperature acclimation and heat shock experiments were performed on adult oceanic skaters, Halobates germanus, inhabiting the tropical Pacific Ocean. Acclimation for 10 or 24 h to 25 °C or 28 °C promoted significantly lower cool coma temperatures by specimens than acclimation to 31 °C. After heat shock by exposure to the relatively moderate temperature of 32.5 °C for 12 h, 52.9% or 61.1%% of specimens died in the 24 h period following acclimation at 28 °C or 31 °C, respectively, whereas all survived when there was no experience of heat shock. The average cool coma temperature was 14 to 17 °C in the specimens which had suffered no heat shock, whereas it was much higher (22 to 23 °C) in specimens that had suffered heat shock. The lower survival rate and the higher cool coma temperature can be attributed to damage suffered by exposure to 32.5 °C. The upper limit of the surface water temperature in the tropical ocean (15° N to 15° S) is currently around 30 to 31 °C, and Halobates appear to have no experience in 32 to 33 °C environments. Nevertheless, 32 °C, i.e., a temperaturethat is only slightly higher than 30 to 31 °C, may occur in the future due to global warming. This species may develop resistance to 32 to 33 °C in the near future.
Keywords: Halobates germanus; Heteroptera; cool hardiness; global warming; oceanic sea skaters; temperature acclimation.