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Ablabesmyia longistyla Fittkau, 1962 (Diptera: Chironomidae), new for the Belgian fauna
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Data
October 2012
Chironomids are one of the most biodiverse and abundant members of freshwater ecosystems. They are a food source for many organisms, including fish and water mites. The accurate identification of chironomids is essential for many applications in ecological research, including determining which chironomid species are present in the diets of diverse predators. Larval and adult chironomids from diverse habitats, including lakes, rivers, inland gardens, coastal vegetation, and nearshore habitats of the Great Lakes, were collected from 2012 to 2019. After morphological identification of chironomids, DNA was extracted and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcodes were PCR amplified and sequenced. Here we describe an analysis of biodiverse adult and larval chironomids in the Great Lakes region of North America based on new collections to improve chironomid identification by curating a chironomid DNA barcode database, thereby expanding the diversity and taxonomic specificity of DNA reference libraries for the Chironomidae family. In addition to reporting many novel chironomid DNA barcodes, we demonstrate here the use of this chironomid COI barcode database to improve the identification of DNA barcodes of prey in the liquefied diets of water mites. The species identifications of the COI barcodes of chironomids ingested by Lebertia davidcooki and L. quinquemaculosa are more diverse for L. davidcooki and include Parachironomus abortivus, Cryptochironomus ponderosus. Parachironomus tenuicaudatus, Glyptotendipes senilis, Dicrotendipes modestus, Chironomus riparius, Chironomus entis/plumosus, Chironomus maturus, Chironomus crassicaudatus, Endochironomus subtendens, Cricotopus sylvestris, Cricotopus festivellus, Orthocladius obumbratus, Tanypus punctipennis, Rheotanytarsus exiguus gr., and Paratanytarsus nr. bituberculatus.
Chironomus larvae were caught in some lowland brooks and one pond in Flanders. Fourth-instar larvae were identified by means of a karyological study. It was the first time that Belgian animals were identified by using this technique. We have found one new species. Chironomus melanotus is reported from Belgium for the first time. We can also confirm the presence of two other species : Ch. plumosus and Ch. riparius.
Animals that dwell at different depths in the sediment, are adapted to different respiratory environments. It is possible that animals that occur deep in the sediment have a higher hemoglobin concentration than surface-dwelling animals. To test this hypothesis, hemoglobin concentrations and weights of eight chironomid species that dwell in the littoral zone were measured. High hemoglobin concentration and weight both seemed to contribute to an ability to cope with low oxygen concentrations, and determined the vertical distribution of chironomids in the sediment. A multiple regression equation, including these factors, was derived. It may be used to predict the median depth of occurrence for species that were not included in this study. High sensitivity of small animals to oxygen stress is discussed from a theoretical point of view.
Chironomid larvae occur in nearly all kinds of fresh and brackish waters as well as in semiterrestrial environments. The authors treat the autecology and the distribution of more than 200 taxa in the Netherlands. Except for the tribe Tanytarsini (Chironominae) all the subfamilies occurring in the Netherlands are included. The autecology of the larvae is given in ecological spectra including values of geographic distribution, water type, habitat, oxygen, pH/trophic level and chlorid concentration. The presence of larvae in the columns of the table with ecological spectra has roughly been indicated with a scale varying between 0 and 4 , except in the first two columns. The table is followed by a text describing aspects of the autecology not shown in the table. For most species also the months are mentioned in which pupa and last larval instar are present. The autecological spectra can be applicated in a number of ways. Some examples are given. The spectra are a useful tool in the biological monitoring of waters. Finally maps with the geographical distribution of most of the chironomid taxa in our country are shown. Only records checked by the authors have been included.
This first part of 'The larvae of the Dutch Chironomidae' deals with the larvae of Tanypodinae and Chironomini. In chapter I an introduction is given to sampling and handling of chironomid larvae. In chapter II their general morphology and development are described, followed by a key to the subfamilies (p. 25). The key for larvae of Tanypodinae (p. 34) in many cases leads to species level . For the Chironomini the first key (p. 103) leads to a genus or species group, but sometimes a further key (with description of the genus) enables identification of the species. For every taxon the fourth instar larva is described and the most important data on life cycle and ecology are given. When using this book in other countries one should be aware of the possible occurrence of species not known from or expected in the Netherlands. Each name used in this work has been indexed on p. 271-277. The second part of this work dealing with the Orthocladiinae, is in press.