Morphology of Chironomidae Larvae

(By Andreas Plank from 3rd October 2007, last modified 19th March 2019)

Here you can study some details and the differences of larvae of the subfamilies among the Chironomidae.

Subfamily Podonominae

Head

  1. antenna
  2. mandible
  3. teeth of mentum
  4. large ventromental plates with strong beard
  5. submental setae
  6. postoccipital margin
Head of Podonominae with strong beard

Subfamily Prodiamesinae

Head

  1. antenna
  2. mentum teeth
  3. strong beard
  4. submental setae
  5. postoccipital plate
  6. postoccipital margin
Head of Prodiamesinae

Abdomen

  1. antenna
  2. a) anterior and b) posterior parapods
  3. anal papillae
  4. procerus (typical: very large!)
  5. anal setae
Abdomen of Prodiamesinae

Subfamily Tanypodinae

Head (with adjacent anterior parapods)

  1. antenna (retractil!)
  2. maxillar palp
  3. anterior parapods (it seems to be only one)
Head from Tanypodinae with anterior parapods (seems to be fused to be only one)

Head

  1. antenna (retractil!)
  2. maxillar palp
  3. mentum with inner ligula
  4. postoccipital margin
Head of Tanypodinae

Subfamily Chironominae

Head of Tribus Chironomini 1

  1. antenna
  2. mandible
  3. S-setae (S1 ?)
  4. premandibles
  5. mentum teeth
  6. well developed ventromental plates
  7. postoccipital plate
Head Tribus Chironomini 2 (Chironominae)

Head of Tribus Chironomini 2

  1. antenna
  2. mandibles
  3. maxillar palp?
  4. mentum teeth
  5. well developed ventromental plate (note: the left one can not be seen here)
  6. submental setae
Head Tribus Chironomini 2 (Chironominae):
Robackia demeijerei (Kruseman 1933)

Head of Tribus Tanytarsini

  1. antenna: a) Lauterborn organs on long pedicells; b) flagellum
  2. antennal pedestal
  3. antennal spur
  4. mentum teeth
  5. ventromental plates: typical thin and medially close together
  6. postoccipital plate
  7. postoccipital margin
Head of Tribus Tanytarsini:
Micropsectra? spec.

Subfamily Orthocladinae

Head

  1. antenna
  2. pecten epipharyngis
  3. lateral chaetulae?
  4. premandibles
  5. mentum teeth
  6. hidden mandible + hidden maxilla
  7. (very week) ventromental plates
  8. postoccipital plate (broken here) with postoccipital margin
Head of Orthocladinae

Mouth Region of the Head

  1. antenna
  2. S-setae (S1)
  3. pecten epipharyngis
  4. labral chetae
  5. premandible
  6. mentum teeth
  7. maxillae with a) tiny maxillar palp
  8. week developed ventromental plate
  9. submental setae
Mouth Region of the Head

Abdomen

  1. head
  2. a) anterior b) posterior parapods
  3. anal setae
  4. procerus
  5. anal papillae
Abdomen of Orthocladiinae