Author: Staeger, 1839
Diagnosis
Exuviae 5.0-5.4mm long (n=5).
Colour: Abdomen colourless with sooty markings.
Cephalothorax: Cephalic tubercles LxB 75x55µm (n=1). Frontal setae 43µm long (n=1). Thoracic horn much branched; basal ring of horn 78x33, 97x40µm (n=2); tracheal patch 63x23µm (n=1); 7, 8 tracheoles across; 3µm in diameter. Tracheal patch of thoracic horn without an "eye". Thoracic granulation well-developed anteriorly and along suture, evanescent elsewhere.
Abdomen: Hook row II entire, length of row 0.45, 0.48x width tergite (n=2); hooks 50-66 (n=4). The point patches increase in extent from tergite II to V, but on VI the patch is more or less reduced. Armament of tergites II-VI in the form of an undivided, usually extensive patch of strong points, the points in each segment increasing in size posteriorly. Armament of tergites II-VI not strongly waisted and with the posterior transverse band not successively increasing in extent to tergite VI; usually reduced on VI. Sternite III with shagreen forming a lateral longitudinal band on each side, which may be joined across the sternite anteriorly. Pleura IV quite densely spinulate, spinules 8µm long. Comb of segment VIII with 1 stout tooth (occasionally with a small accessory tooth), set on the end of an elongate ventral cuticular mound which exceeds appreciably the apico-lateral corner of the segment. Segment VIII with 4 lateral taeniae.
Anal segment: Anal lobe with 43-50 fringe taeniae (n=4).
(Linked adult male: Langton and Pinder, 2003a)
Species keys out at Page 177: Chironomini 74 Chironomus of the Text Key.
Distribution
Holarctic species: widespread in Europe.
(For more information see module IdentifyIt – file: Chironominae).
Ecological notes
Ponds.