Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) brumalis (Edwards, 1929)

Stur, Elisabeth & Ekrem, Torbjorn, 2015, A review of Norwegian Gymnometriocnemus (Diptera, Chironomidae) including the description of two new species and a new name for Gymnometriocnemusvolitans (Goetghebuer) sensu Brundin, ZooKeys 508, pp. 127-142 : 134

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Chironomidae

Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) brumalis (Edwards, 1929)

Remarks.

We have barcoded specimens from eastern, central and northern Norway that fall within the same genetic cluster although with quite large intraspecific divergence (0-6.8%, mean 3.42% K2P-distance) (Fig. 6). We are at present not able to find morphological differences that fully correspond to the internal groupings inside the Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) brumalis cluster and all our specimens fit the description by Sæther (1983) with the additions by Cranston and Oliver (1988). There is some variation observed in the length of the virga in relationship with the length of the gonocoxite, one of the characters used to separate Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) acigus from Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) brumalis ( Cranston and Oliver 1988; Sæther 1983), but we have not examined or barcoded a sufficient number of specimens to confidently conclude if the divergent genetic clusters in our Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) brumalis can be regarded as separate species. We have examined the male holotype and a male paratype of Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) acigus and can confirm that the species fits our and Cranston and Oliver’s (1988) interpretation of Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) brumalis . The species has a Holarctic distribution.