Species 5n Chironomus lugubris

The presence of this species in North America is known only from some BARCODE sequence in the BOLD database that has been attributed to this species.  At least one specimen in this BOLD Bin was identified as C. sp. TE11, for which the other specimens are in species 4y.  It has been suggested that C. lugubris is a senior synonym of C. saxatilis, Wülker et al. (1981), the name that has been suggested for species 5c.  However as Wülker et al. (1981) point out, there is some dispute as to the actual identity of C. lugubris, Zetterstedt 1850, hence this material is not identified as the Zetterstedt species.
The COI sequences, however, indicate that this material is not synonymous with species 5c.
This constitutes the first record of C. lugubris in North America and hence suggests that this species has a Holarctic distribution.

In BOLD Bin: BOLD:AAB4581.
Nearest neighor Bin: BOLD:ADL5630 - species TE11.

Adult:
Where possible the description is based on, or supported by, photographs associated with the BOLD Bin.  Those photographs and the keys in Pinder (1978) show that this is a largely blackish brown species.


Photograph by Elisabeth Stur

Male:  Wing length about 4.1-5.3 mm, VR less than 1.  AR about 3.05.
LR about 1.3; anterior tarsi without a long beard (Pinder 1958).
Abdomen with a thin pale band at the posterior margin of each segment.  About 11 setae on tergite IX, some in individual pale areas and others in a larger area.
Hypopygium quite similar to that of C. riparius except that the gonostylus narrows more gently over the posterior third.  Superior volsella of Strenzke's (1959) S-type but more pointed than that shown in Fig. 55F of Pinder (1958) (so, is this the same species as Pinder’s C. lugubris?).


Photograph by Elisabeth Stur

Female: Mostly blackish brown, but thorax and anterior parts of the femurs are lighter brown.  Halteres pale.
Wing length about 3.5 mm, width about 1.6 mm; VR about 0.84.

Pupa:  No definite data. Langton & Visser (2003) describe a pupa, but there is uncertainty as to whether it refers to the species considered here.

Larva:  According to Wülker et al. the larva should be a thummi-type.

Cytology:  According to Wülker et al. the polytene chromosomes should have the pseudothummi arm combination AE, BF, CD, G, although the basis for this information is not given.
However the close relationship with Sp. TE11 raises queries as to whether the identification as C. lugubris sensu Wülker is correct, as Sp. TE11 belongs to the thummi-cytogroup.

Molecular data
MtCOI: As noted above there is sequence in the BOLD Database.

Found: Yukon Territory - Ivvavik National Park (69.162°N, 140.155°W) (BOLD BIOUG17183-B09).
            Norway - Spits-Bergen and Jan-Mayen, Svalbard (Stur & Ekrem 2020)

See also Chironomus sp. 1TEC. sp. TE11.

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Modified: 6 April 2021
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