Afrotropical Polypedilum subgenus Tripodura, with a review of the subgenus (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Vårdal, H., Bjørlo, A. & Sæther, O. A. (2002). Afrotropical Polypedilum subgenus Tripodura, with a review of the subgenus (Diptera: Chironomidae). —Zoologica Scripta, 31, 331–402. A subgeneric diagnosis for all stages of the subgenus Tripodura Townes, 1 945 of the genus Polypedilum Kieffer, 1 912 is given. Nine new Afrotropical species of Tripodura are described: P.(T.)chelum Vårdal sp. n., P.(T.)amplificatus Bjørlo sp. n., P.(T.)patulum Bjørlo sp. n., P.(T.)spinalveum Vårdal sp. n., P.(T.)ewei Bjørlo sp. n., P.(T.)ogoouense Bjørlo sp. n., P.(T.)akani Bjørlo sp. n., P.(T.)dagombae Bjørlo sp. n., and P.(T.)amputatum Bjørlo sp. n.; all as male imagines only. P.(T.)alboguttatum Kieffer, P.(T.)albosignatum Kieffer, P.(T.)tropicum Kieffer, P.(T.)pruina Freeman, P.(T.)quinqueguttatum Kieffer, P.(T.) aegyptium Kieffer, P.(T.) tridens Freeman, P.(T.)allansoni Freeman, P.(T.)longicrus Kieffer, P.(T.)annulatipes Kieffer and P.(T.)abyssiniae Kieffer are re‐described as male and female imagines, while P.(T.)majiis Lehmann, P.(T.)subovatum Freeman, P.(T.)griseoguttatum Kieffer, P.(T.)aferum Lehmann and P.(T.)kijabense Freeman are re‐described as male imagines only. Keys to the male and the known female imagines of the 30 Afrotropical species in the subgenus are presented. A phylogenetic analysis based on all available information on Tripodura from all over the world (135 species) is presented and discussed. The monophyly of the subgenus Tripodura is confirmed. The subgenus can be divided into 20 groups with the acifer group forming the sister group of two larger assemblages of groups in the order acifer (titicacae (ginzansecundum ((aferum (ewei (malickianum (floridense (halterale, pullum)))))) (subovatum (labeculosum ((parascalaenum (allansoni (apfelbecki (udominatum, parvum))))) ((((alboguttatum, aegyptium) quinqueguttatum) annulatipes)). Only in the titicacae, halterale, pullum and apfelbecki groups are the larvae of more than one species described, while one larva is known in each of the subovatum, parascalaenum, aegyptium and quinqueguttatum groups. Three or more pupae are known only from the halterale, pullum, apfelbecki and aegyptium groups. Thus, the tentative nature of the group divisions is obvious. Geographical co‐evolutionary analyses (Brooks parsimony analyses) of the subgenus as a whole and of the major groups are performed and the areas most likely to be part of the original areas estimated. Most probably, eastern South America and Africa were part of the ancestral area. There are multiple sister‐group relationships and generalized tracks between South and East Asia and Africa, between Africa and the Palaearctic region, between South and East Asia, between tropical Brazil and Africa, between East Asia and North America across a former Beringian land bridge, and between the Indo‐West Pacific region and New Zealand, but no evidence for transantarctic relationships.     

Two new species of Parapentaneura (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from Brazil,with keys to the males and immature stages

Two new species of Parapentaneura Stur, Fittkau et Serrano, 2006 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from southeastern Brazil are described and figured as male, pupa and larva: P. brunnescens and P. flavescens. Keys to the males, pupae and larvae of known species of Parapentaneura are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E6860EBE-B781-4DDA-9650-6E6EA3A0309E     

Identification of instars and species in some larval Polypedilum (Polypedilum) (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Instars II and III of Polypedilum aviceps Townes, Polypedilum convictum (Walker), and Polypedilum illinoense (Malloch) can be identified to species by associating them with instar IV because key taxonomic characters remain relatively unchanged from instar to instar. Instars I cannot be identified to species or genus unless they are associated with older, identifiable larvae reared from the same egg masses. No single character evaluated on slide material can be used to clearly separate instars in all three species. Larvae of P. aviceps can be separated into instars based on any four of seven characters; P. convictum by either of two characters; and, P. illinoense by a combination of two characters. Changes in structures of instars II, III, and IV are described for all three species. Growth ratios for some structures are compared and discussed with regard to Dyar's Rule.     

New records of Polypedilum Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae) from India

Adult males of Polypedilum (Polypedilum) exterflexus n. sp., P. (Tripodura) rectangulum n. sp. and life stages of P. (Tripodura) pruina Freeman are described from India. In addition, one species, Polypedilum clavipennae n. sp. with all the life stages not assigned to any one of the existing subgenera is also described, and it may be justified to erect it as a new subgenus in future.     

Redescription of Dixella humeralis (Tonnoir) with notes on the immature stages (Diptera: Dixidae)

Abstract   The adult male of Dixella humeralis is redescribed and adult female and immature life stages are described for the first time. Originally described from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, the current range is extended to include the pasture lands of the Dorrigo Plateau. Larval and pupal chaetotaxy are illustrated and their putative homology with the Culicidae is discussed. Adult and larval characters are presented that separate the known endemic Australian Dixella species.     

Karyotype and karyofund of chironomids Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) sordens (Diptera, Chironomidae)

Karyotypes and karyofund of chironomids P. Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) sordens (Van der Wulp, 1874) from four water bodies of Saratov region have been analysed. 2n = 6, I (GAB) > II (CD) > III (EF). A cytophotochart of polytene chromosomes of this species was composed, and discovered inversions were identified on its base. The level of inversion polymorphism is high. There are 18 chromosome sequences in the karyofund. The frequency of heterozygote inversions is 1.6-2.5 per specimen. On the base of this cytochart it is possible to produce chromosome charts of other species of subgenus Pentapedilum.     

Some immature stages of the subgenus Chironomus (Meigen) (Diptera:Chironomidae) from Malawi,Central Africa

An account is given of the diagnostic characters of the larvae and pupae of 10 of the 18 African species of the subgenus Chironomus Meigen from a wide range of habitats in southern Malawi.     

First description of the immature stages of Hemilucilia segmentaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The immature stages oí Hemilucilia segmentaria (Fabricius, 1805) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are described. Egg morphology and structures such as the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, anterior and posterior spiracles, and the dorsal spines between the prothorax and mesothorax from first, second and third instar larvae are characterized, using light and scanning electron microscopy. This species is abundant in Neotropical forests and, because of its necrophagous behavior, is of substantial medico-legal importance for estimating the postmortem interval in criminal investigations. Information presented herein may be useful to differentiate among eggs and larvae of closely related species and to supplement the database for blowfly identification.     

Genus Pagastia Oliver (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Japan, with description of a new species

A new species, Pagastia hidakamontana sp. nov., is described from the alpine zone of the Hidaka Mountains in Hokkaido, Japan. Pagastia orthogonia Oliver, so far known only from the Nearctic Region, is newly recorded from Japan and redescribed. Females of P. lanceolata (Tokunaga) and P. nivis (Tokunaga) are redescribed, and the synonymy of P. lanceolata with Syndiamesa (Lasiodiamesa) crassipilosa Tokunaga (= Pseudodiamesa crassipilosa) is proposed. Keys to males and females of Japanese species of the genus are provided.     

Life stages and taxonomic affinities of Xenochironomus canterburyensis (Chironomidae: Diptera)

Abstract

The adult male and female of Xenochironomus canterburyensis (Freeman) are redescribed, and the larva and pupa are described for the first time. The immature stages are obligate, inquiline commensals of the freshwater mussel Hyridella menziesi (Gray) inhabiting the littoral zone of some New Zealand lakes. The labral setae of the larva are modified to form an elongate feeding brush, and the pupa lacks a posterolateral spur on the eighth abdominal segment. X. canterburyensis appears to be closer to X. xenolabis in certain synapomorphic features and in that both are closely associated with a host species.     

Biology of Xylobiont larvae of limoniid flies of the genus Gnophomyia (Diptera, Limoniidae) with description of immature stages

New data on the larval and pupal morphology and the life history of limoniid flies (G. lugubris (Zett.), G. acheron Al., and G. viridipennis (Gimmerthal)) of the genus Gnophomyia are presented. Larvae of all the species are phloeophages and inhabit tree bark. Keys to larvae and pupae of these species are given.     

中国多足揺蚊属指名亚属一新种(双翅目:摇蚊科)

记述中国多足摇蚊属指名亚属Polypedilum (s. str.) Kieffer 1新种——等跗多足摇蚊Polypedilum (Polypedilum) aequabe, sp. nov.,该新种雄虫可借以下组合特征与本亚属其它已知种类相区别:后足第 2 与第 3 跗节等长,肛尖具侧毛,上附器外侧毛位于近端部,下附器端部膨大。模式标本存放在南开大学生命科学学院摇蚊研究室。正模:♂,四川乡城硕曲河,2 700 m,1996-Ⅵ-12,灯诱,王新华采;副模:18♂♂,同正模;1♂,云南丽江石鼓冲江河,1750m,1996-Ⅴ-25,灯诱,周长发采。     

Factors influencing algal consumption and feeding rate in Heterotrissocladius changi Saether and Polypedilum nebeculosum (Meigen) (Chironomidae: Diptera)

Summary Factors influencing the consumption of algae and the rate of feeding by the larvae of Heterotrissocladius changi Saether and Polypedilum nebeculosum (Meigen) (Chironomidae: Diptera) were determined from collections made between July 1975 and May 1977 in Yellowknife Bay, situated in the Canadian subarctic. Although both species fed heavily on algae during the summer, few cells were ingested in the winter, coincident with an overall reduction in feeding intensity. H. changi fed primarily on benthic species (Achnanthes minutissima, Achnanthes pinnata, Fragilaria pinnata, Fragilaria vaucheriae, Navicula spp., Scenedesmus spp.) Whereas P. nebeculosum was restricted to planktonic forms (Dinobryon spp., Scenedesmus spp.). The consumption of algae by H. changi depended largely on the density of the microflora in the environment. This factor had little influence on P. nebeculosum and was replaced by size selection, which prevented the ingestion of many planktonic algal species. The importance of algae to both chironomids also depended on the susceptability of certain algal forms to digestion. Temperature generally regulated the intensity of feeding of both H. changi and P. nebeculosum. However, changing day-length initiated heavy feeding during April and May, despite low water temperatures. The depth of water and the organic content of the substrate had no detectable effect on the amount of material in the guts.     

Morphology of the adult and juvenile stages of Microtendipes rydalensis (Edw.) comb. nov. (Diptera,Chironomidae)

The adult male of Polypedilum rydalensis (Edw.) is described in greater detail than hitherto and the female, pupa and larva are all described for the first time. On the basis of the morphology of the adult and immature stages rydalensis is placed in the genus Microtendipes Kieffer.     

Feeding and sexual dimorphism in adult midges (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Adult chironomids feed readily on materials containing sucrose and glucose, and the addition of dyes is an easy way of demonstrating that food passes through the gut. Male and female flies are shown to make very different use of the food they take in. Males show no change in longevity but extend their flight time for an average of 160% over unfed males. Females, by contrast, show no detectable increase in flight time, but increase longevity by about 40%. Sexual dimorphism in the use of food seems appropriate to the roles of the sexes. We infer that males improve their swarming performance while females may benefit from increased longevity both in gaining time to find suitable mates and in the distance dispersed after mating. Males, and to a less extent females, are found on aphid infested trees near fresh water, and the suggested biological value of feeding is in sustaining the swarming flight especially for the males. Trichoptera adults are found feeding on aphid infested trees and the earlier findings that adult Trichoptera feed are confirmed.     

Taxonomic notes on the genus Syndiamesa Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Japan, with description of a new species

The Japanese species of the genus Syndiamesa are revised. A new species, Syndiamesa longipilosa sp. nov., from Honshu, Japan is described from male and female material. The male of Syndiamesa mira (Makarchenko) from Japan is redescribed and figured. Syndiamesa chuzemagna Sasa is synonymized with Syndiamesa yosiii Tokunaga. Syndiamesa bicolor Tokunaga is transferred to the genus Sympotthastia. A key to males of Japanese Syndiamesa is provided.     

The Females and immatures of Paracricotopus Thienemann and Harnisch, 1932, with the description of a new species (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Revised and emended generic diagnoses for all stages and both sexes of Paracricotopus Thienemann and Harnisch are given. The genus appears most closely related to Rheocricotopus Thienemann and Harnisch with some similarities of larvae and females to Nanocladius Kieff. and Mesocricotopus Brund. All stages and both sexes are described or redescribed of the Palaearctic Paracricotopus niger (Kieffer) and of Paracricotopus glaber n. sp. from South Carolina.