''Chironomus'' is a genus of nonbiting
midge
A midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non- mosquito Nematoceran Diptera. Midges are found (seasonally or otherwise) on practically every land area outside permanently arid deserts and the frigid zones. Some m ...
s in the
subfamily Chironominae
Chironominae is a subfamily of midges in the non-biting midge family (Chironomidae).
Genera
*Tribe Chironomini
**'' Axarus'' Roback 1980
**''Baeotendipes'' Kieffer, 1913
**''Beckidia'' Sæther 1979
**''Carbochironomus'' Reiss & Kirschbaum 199 ...
of the bloodworm family,
Chironomidae
The Chironomidae (informally known as chironomids, nonbiting midges, or lake flies) comprise a family of nematoceran flies with a global distribution. They are closely related to the Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, and Thaumaleidae. Many species ...
, containing several
cryptic species that can only be distinguished by experts based on the characteristics of their
giant chromosomes.
Description
Adult ''Chironomus'' are midges with the
pronotum
The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum ( dorsal), the prosternum ( ventral), and the propleuron ( lateral) o ...
widest in the middle and bearing a notch, the head usually bearing a pair of small tubercles above the
antennal
Antennae ( antenna), sometimes referred to as "feelers", are paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods.
Antennae are connected to the first one or two segments of the arthropod head. They vary widely in form but are always made of one o ...
bases, the antennal flagellum of males having 11 segments, and the male genitalia has inferior volsella large and larger than superior volsella. They range from 5 to 13 mm in length.
Larvae
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
T ...
are red and usually have tubes on the side or bottom of the eighth abdominal segment. These features are not unique to ''Chironomus'', also being found in some related genera.
Adult males can be distinguished from females by their feather-like antennae.
Behaviour
When at rest, adults often raise their front legs and vibrate them. This is the source of the genus name, which is derived from "cheironomos" (Greek for "one who moves the hands").
Habitat
Larvae of ''Chironomus'' usually live in aquatic
sediment
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sa ...
. Those of the ''C. decorus'' group, ''C. riparius'' group and ''C. stigmaterus'' generally live in conditions of high nutrients and low oxygen. There are also ''Chironomus'' that live in relatively clean water.
The larvae of several species inhabit the
profundal zone
The profundal zone is a deep zone of an inland body of freestanding water, such as a lake or pond, located below the range of effective light penetration. This is typically below the thermocline, the vertical zone in the water through which temp ...
where they can reach relatively high densities. They use a combination of
hemoglobin
Hemoglobin (haemoglobin BrE) (from the Greek word αἷμα, ''haîma'' 'blood' + Latin ''globus'' 'ball, sphere' + ''-in'') (), abbreviated Hb or Hgb, is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein present in red blood cells (erythrocyte ...
-like proteins and undulatory movements in their burrows to obtain
oxygen
Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as we ...
in poorly oxygenated habitats.
See also
*
List of Chironomus species
Gallery
File:Chironomus anthracinus,Trawscoed, North Wales, April 2015 2 - Flickr - janetgraham84.jpg, ''Chironomus anthracinus
''Chironomus anthracinus'' is a species of fly in the family Chironomidae. It is found in the Palearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north ...
''
File:Chironomus crassicaudatus P1570795a.jpg, ''Chironomus crassicaudatus
''Chironomus crassicaudatus'' is a species of midge in the family Chironomidae.
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
Chironomidae
Articles created by Qbugbot
Insects described in 1915
{{chironomidae-stub ...
''
File:Chironomus yoshimatsui.jpg, '' Chironomus yoshimatsui''
File:Chironomus spec. (Chironomidae) - (larva), Elst (Gld), the Netherlands.jpg, ''Chironomus'' sp. larva
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2704714
Chironomidae
Nematocera genera