The genera of larval midges of Canada: Diptera--Chironomidae (The insects and arachnids of Canada)

268 Pages·1983·14.17 MB·English

by  Donald R Oliver

THE INSEOTS
AND ARAOHNIDS
OF OANADA
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1.1
The Genera
Dipter?= Chironomidae
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THE INSECTS
AND ARACHNIDS
OF OANADA
PART 1
1
The Genera
of Larval Midqes
of Canada
Diptera' Chironomidae
Donald R. Oliver and Mary E. Roussel
Biosystematics Research Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Research Branch
Agriculture Canada
1746
l'ublication 1983
@ Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1983
Available in Canada through
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Catalogue No. A 42-42-1983-llE Canada: $11.95
ISBN 0-660-11385-6 Other countries: $14.35
Price subject to change without notice
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Oliver, Donald R.
The genera of larval midges of Canada
(The Insects and arachnids of Canada,
ISSN 0706-7313 ; pt. 1l)
(Publication ;1746)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
l. Chironomidae. 2. Insects - Larvae. 3. Insects
- Canada. I. Roussel, Mary E. IL Canada. Agri-
culture Canada. Research Branch. III. Title.
IV. Series. V. Series: Publication (Canada. Agri-
culture Canada). English ; 1746.
QL537.C45604 595.77'r C83-097201_3
The Insects and Arachnids of Canada
Part l. Collecting, Preparing, and Preserving Insects, Mites, and Spiders,
compiled by.l. E H Martin, Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, 1977.
Part2. The Bark Beetles of Canada and Alaska (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), by
D. E. Bright, Jr., Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, 1976.
Part 3. The Aradidae of Canada (Hemiptera: Aradidae), by R' Matsuda,
Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, 1977.
Part 4. The Anthocoridae of Canada and Alaska (Heteroptera: An-
thocoridae), by L. A. Kelton, Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa,
1978.
Part 5. The Crab Spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Philodromidae
and Thomisidae), by C. D. Dondale and J. H. Redner, Biosystematics Re-
search Institute, Ottawa, 1978.
Part 6. The Mosquitoes of Canada (Diptera: Culicidae), by D. M. Wood, P. T.
Dang, and R. A. Ellis, Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, 1979.
Partie 7. Genera des Trichoptdres du Canada et des Etats adjacents, par F.
Schmid, Institut de recherches biosyst6matiques, Ottawa, 1980.
Part 8. The Plant Bugs of the Prairie Provinces of Canada, by L. A. Kelton,
Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, 1980.
Part 9. The Sac Spiders of Canada and Alaska, by C. D. Dondale and J. H.
Redner, Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, 1982.
Part 10. The Spittlebugs of Canada, by K. G. A. Hamilton, Biosystematics
Research Institute, Ottawa, 1982.

Contents
Introduction 7
Classification 8
Systematic position of Canadian genera of Chironomidae . . o
Anatomy t4
Geographic distribution l8
(]eneral biology 19
Collecting, preserving, and preparing. . . .. 2l
Acknowledements. . 23
.
Kev to subfamilies of larval Chironomidae . . . . . 24
Subfamily Tanypodinae 26
Key to the tribes of Tanypodinae . . . 27
Tribe Coelotanypodini 28
Key to the gcnera of Coelotantpoclini . 29
Tribe Tanypodini. 30
.
' fribe Macropelopiini. 32
Key to the genera of Macropelopiini . JJ
.
Tribe Penraneurini. 38
Key to the genera of Pentaneurini. . . . . 38
Subfamily Podonominae. .. .. 49
.
Kev to the tribes of Podonominae . . . 50
'-I; rrlDe rooonomlnl . . 50
Tribe Boreochlini. 5I
Key to the p;enera of Boreochlini.. . . . . 5t
Subfamilv Chironominae . .. .. 54
Kev to the tribes of Chironominae . . 55
I rljb' e (,nlronomlnl. 5r)
-
TribeK ePys etou dthoec hgireonneorma ionfi. Chironomini. . . . 59ll
Tribe Tanytarsini 92
.
Key to the senera of Tanvtarsini. . . ' . . 93
Subfamilv: ,O rthocladiinae. . . .. 100
Key to th, e qenera of Orthocladiinae. 102
.
Subfamily Prodiameiinae..... 148
Key to the pJenera of Prodiamesinae . . . 1l549l
Subfamily Diamesinae
Kev to the tribes of Diamesinae . . . . . ICJ
Tribe Boreoheptagyini I 5.)
'fribe Diamesini ... r54
Key to the genera of Diamesini t55
Tribe Protanypodini 158
Subfamily Telmatogetonlnae. 159
.
Figures. 160
Gl,ossarv. 239
References 242
Index ' 259

lntroduction
Larvae of the family Chironomidae are abundant in most freshwater
and semiaquatic habitats, and in some terrestrial, brackish, and saline
habitats. The red larvae found in many aquatic habitats, commonly called
-I'he
bloodworms, belong to this group of insects. number of species in an
aquatic habitat may"comprise ouet 5O% of the total number of species of
the larger invertebrates. Larval densities over 30 000/mz are not unusual.
The tolal number of species occurring in Canada is probably over 2000.
Despite the common occurrence of chironomid larvae in the
freshwaters of Canada their taxonomy has been little studied, although
recently there has been an increase in taxonomic literature about larvae
(e.g., Srther 1969-80; Oliver l97lb, 1976, 1977; Oliver et al. 1978;
Cairnings l9Z5; and Soponis lS77). The neglect is due partly to- the small
size of many species, superficial similarity in appearance wlthln many
groups, and'thi large number of species in a particular habitat. But it is
ilso d.,e to the facithat microscope slide preparation and microscopic
examination at high poI{'er is necessary to reveal the structural characters
used in naming them. This presents the non-taxonomist with a bewilder-
ing array of stirctural variarion, which is not easily handled because of the
lack of taxonomic literature. Therefore an extensive section on anatomy
is given to assist the non-taxonomist in identifying larvae. General sec-
tio"ns on classification, biology, and collecting, preserving, and preparing
are also provided.
This publicarion gives keys for the identification of the last larval
stage of tiZ oI the 133 genera of chironomids known to occur in Canada.
tn iddition, each genui has been provided with a brief description and
notes on its geographic distribution and habitat. Where.possible the keys
and clescripiioti ai. based on specimens associated with adults, as the
taxonomy bf chironomids is largely based on the adult male.
Specimens on which this publication are based, come-primarily from
."nttul Canada, the Canadian northwest, and the islands of the Arctic
Archepelago. Limited larval material was available from huge tracts of
Canada r,_,ih as the Atlantic Provinces, the Prairie Provinces, British
Columbia, and southern Yukon. Therefbre this publication is only an
introduction to the study of Canadian chironomid larvae, as many genera
and species remain to be discovered. The manuscript for this publication
was cbmpleted in early 1980, but some generic name changes published
since then have been included.
Bilingual keys are provided and Figs. l-15 appear twice in order to
show the labelinq in English and French.
Classif ication
The classification of chironomids at the familial and subfamilial level
is confusing to the non-taxonomist. Two family names, Chironomidae
and I-endipedidae, have been used. Similarly several subfamily narnes
have been repeatedly interchanged; 'I'anypodinae with Pelopiinae; Chir-
onominae with Tendipedinae; and Orthocladiinae with Hydrobaeninae.
This instability was due primarily to two papers published by Meigen
(1800, 1803). Each paper proposed a different ser of'names fbr the same
insects. The earlier paper was unknor,vn for about 100 years and during
this period the names proposed in the 1803 paper gained acceprance.
'f
here has been much discussion about the use of' the 1800 names versus
the 1803 names (see Stone 194I ; Oldroyd 1966) and it is sufficient to nore
that nomenclature used in this publication is in accordance with the ruling
of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (see Fitt-
kau 1966), which suppressed the use of the Meieen I 800 names in favor of
the 1803 names. Thus Chzronomus Meiqen, 1803 and Chironominae are
used in place of Tendipes Meigen. 1800 and Tendipedinae, and T'anypus
and Tanypodinae in place of Pelopia and Pelopiinae. Consequently the
f amily name is Chironomidae, not Tendipedidae. Although nor covered
by a ruling of the International Commission on Zoological"N,rmenclature
it is generally accepted that Orthocladiinae be used, nirt Hydrobaeninae.
The subfamilial classification used here follor,r,s that of Brundin
(1966) as modified by Sather (1977b). Seven subfamilies are recognized:
'I'anypodinae,
Podonominae, Chironominae, Orthocladiinae, Pro-
diamesinae, Diamesinae, and Telmatosetoninae. I Most of'the subfamilies
have tribal divisions-see follorving section on Systematic position of
Canadian genera of Chironomidae. Although a number of tribal names
have been used in the Orthocladiinae (see Biundin 1966), none are used
here. Srthe r (1977 b) has briefly reviewed the group relationships r,vithin
the Orthocladiinae and suggested that until more is known about the
immature and f'emale stages the subfamily should remain undivided. It
should be noted that the tribe Calopsectrini (Townes lS45),widely used in
North American literature, is equivalent to Tanytarsini.
The generic level classification generally follows that of Hamilton et
al. ( 1969). It has been modified to incorporare new informarion published
between 1969 and early 1980 (Hansen and Cook 1976; Hirvenoja 1973;
Roback l97l; S:ether 1969-80; and Soponis 1977). The classification of
Hamilton et al. ( 1969) was based on a number of maior revisions, includ-
ins those of Brundin (1956, 1966), Fittkau ( 1962), Pagast (19471, f-ownes
(1945), and Wirth (1949). This classification adapted the European con-
cept of small genera (Beck and Beck 1968) to the Nearctic fauna, thus
dif f'ering considerably from the broader generic concepts used by North
American workers (e.e., Sublette and Sublette 1965).
IThe
subfamilies Aphroteniinae and Buchonomyiinae do not <.rccur in North America
8