Chironomus kiiensis Tokunaga, 1936

This name has been considered a junior synonym of C. striatipennis Kieffer 1910 (see under that species), including by Pramual et al. (2016).   However those conclusions were biased by the assumption that the previous species identifications were correct.   Additional data and analysis of the COI sequences without prior assumption of identity, indicated that this synonymy was not supported, rather there was a complex of probably four species.   Re-examination based solely on comparison of DNA sequence regardless of the species identification indicated that C. kiiensis is distinct from C. striatipennis and that at least 3 species were included under this name.
The location of the type material is not recorded, so it is not certain whether the original specimens are identical to those currently recognized, since morphological and DNA data from Japan and Korea indicates the presence of other possible species with similarly patterned wings.   However, as used here, the most common form has been called C. kiiensis.

Several names have been synonymised with C. kiiensis, but these are distinct species:
    Chironomus calipterus - misidentification in Bugledich et al. 1999.
    Chironomus pallidinubeculosus - incorrect synonymy by Hashimoto et al. 1981, as this is a distinct species with similarly patterned wings.    There is a precedent from Drosophila for species to show the same wing pattern as a result of independent mutations of the same same gene (Prud''homme et al. 2006).

In Bold Bins: BOLDABZ2474;
                      BOLDAAD8160;
                      BOLDAAD8162

Tokunaga's original description of the male is given here for information:

Adult:

Male:

Tokunaga’s original description of the male:

Tokunaga's illustration suggests the Superior Volsella is similar to that of the other members of this group, i.e. an E-type, perhaps closest to fig. h of Strenke (1959), but end more sharply curved (although this can vary with mounting – note the difference in the two in the above figure).   It also shows the gonostylus as being more swollen and narrowing more sharply over the posterior third. Data from Sasa (1978), Sasa & Hasagawa (1983) are also incorporated.

Sasa & Hasagawa note that Superior volsella has a high basal pad, resembling the Einfeldia-group.

Male:
Body length about 5 mm.
Wing length 2.74 (2.36-2.90) mm; width 0.64 (0.55-0.73); abt 3 Scf on brachiolum; 20 setae in squamal fringe.
LR 1.71 (1.55-1.82).
About 8 setae in a single pale area on TIX.

Female:
Body length 6.46 (6.12-6.79) mm.  Wing length 2.82 (2.76—2.86) mm.  AR 3.03 (2.79-3.28).

Molecular:  Barcode sequence attributed to this species exists for a number of specimens from a number of areas, and falls into 3 groups.  The majority of sequences refer to C. kiiensis (e.g. Otsu City, Honshu), but whether these are the original C. kiiensis cannot be determined.

The GenBank accession numbers are: JQ350720, AB740240, AB838642, AB838644.
There are other sequences for other members of this species group 9% (C. nr. kiiensis).

The common form of C. kiiensis differs from C. striatipennis at 12 bases; from the MYT (Thailand population) at 19 bases; from C. nr. kiiensis at 30 bases and from C. strenzkei at 11 bases.

Found: Japan - Seto, Wakayama Type locality.

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