Author: (Meigen, 1804)
Diagnosis
Exuviae 9.4-13.1mm long (m=10.6mm, n=25).
Cephalothorax: Frontal apotome broadly truncate apically (149s.jpg). Cephalic tubercles short (less than 100µm long) and broad (their bulbous bases not meeting medially), with a short cylindrical apex (often squashed into itself in slide preparations), (096g.jpg). Praefrons at most (rarely) with sparse vague granulation, normally smooth apart from the usual creases. Thoracic horn much branched.
Abdomen: Tergite armament not restricted to posterior mounds. Epaulettes racket-shaped, present on tergites II-VI (096h.jpg); EpR II-VI 1.0 : 0.95-1.49 : 1.18-1.50 : 1.75-2.77 : 3.03-4.53 (m=1.0 : 1.30 : 1.37 : 2.36 : 3.74, n=19). Comb of segment VIII of 1-10 teeth (m=5.4, n=49), teeth short with swollen bases (149t.jpg). Lateral taeniae of segments V-VIII: 4,4(5),4,5.
Anal segment: Fringe of anal lobe with 170-183 taeniae (m=178, n=8).
(Linked adult male: Langton and Pinder, 2003a)
Species keys out at Page 124: Chironomini 21 Glyptotendipes of the Text Key.
Distribution
Palaearctic species: widespread in Europe, north Africa.
(For more information see module IdentifyIt – file: Chironominae).
Ecological notes
Stagnant water, extending into brackish habitats.
Larvae mine plants or inhabit the surface of living plants, occasionally found on sediments or hard surfaces, usually absent when pH drops below 5.0 (Moller Pillot et al., 1995a).