Monsoonal tropical Tanytarsus van der Wulp (Diptera : Chironomidae) reviewed: New species, life histories and significance as aquatic environmental indicators
Ps. Cranston, Monsoonal tropical Tanytarsus van der Wulp (Diptera : Chironomidae) reviewed: New species, life histories and significance as aquatic environmental indicators, AUST J ENT, 39, 2000, pp. 138-159
The immature stages of the cosmopolitan chironomid midge genus Tanytarsus v
an der Wulp can dominate tropical running waters. Studies in the Alligator
Rivers Region of the Northern Territory, Australia have revealed a plethora
of species, some of which show differential responses to disturbance, incl
uding mine drainage. These taxa in their immature stages have been referred
to previously by codes. Here Tanytarsus gulungul, Tanytarsus hardwicki, Ta
nytarsus micksmithi, Tanytarsus dostinei, Tanytarsus rosario, Tanytarsus hu
mphreyi and Tanytarsus reidi are described as new from larvae, pupae and ad
ult males, Tanytarsus wendylee as new based on pupae and adult males, and T
anytarsus bispinosus Freeman and Tanytarsus richardsi Glover redescribed in
all stages. Five species-level taxa for which the adults are unknown are d
escribed but not formally named, although the identity of one with Tanytars
us manlyensis Glover and another with Tanytarsus dycei Glover is suggested.
A diagnostic matrix is provided for larvae and dichotomous keys for pupae
and adult males. Some distributional and environmental responses are descri
bed and comments provided on species groupings, including a review of the g
enus Virgatanytarsus Pinder.