Rhinocladius Edwards

Saether, O. A. & Andersen, T., 2003, Redescription of Rhinocladius Edwards (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae), Zootaxa 217, pp. 1-20 : 2-3

Rhinocladius Edwards

Rhinocladius Edwards 1931: 208 .

Type species: Rhinocladius culicinus Edwards 1931: 271 .

Other included species: Rhinocladius longirostris Edwards 1931: 270 .

Diagnostic characters: The imagines are separable from all other chironomids by the presence of extremely long labellae combined with hairy wings and lack of pulvilli.

Male imago

Moderately small species, wing length about 1.4­1.6 mm.

Eye bare, rounded, no dorsomedian elongation. Antenna with 13 flagellomeres in male, 6 in female; male antenna fully plumed; groove beginning on flagellomere 3; sensilla chaetica present on flagellomeres 2, 3 and very numerous on 13; apex without straight apical seta; male AR around 1.0. Palpomeres strongly reduced; palpomeres 4 and 5 minute without setae ; third palpomere of female with several median and 1 lateral spatulate sensilla clavata; fourth palpomere with few median and 1 lateral spatulate sensilla clavata; sensilla clavata apparently absent in male. Temporals consisting of inner and outer verticals and postorbitals. Tentorium especially long and narrow in female, stipes apparently normal. Cibarial pump broadest in middle, with concave anterior margin and well developed cornua. Clypeus with several setae . Labellae extremely elongate, half to more than 3/ 4 as long as wing, with short setae for full length, wider than length of second palpomere in female, more narrow in male.

Antepronotal lobes broad, collar­like, not medially narrowed, with a few lateral setae . Acrostichals numerous, starting in front; anterior acrostichals long, posterior short; dorsocentrals irregularly biserial, numerous; several prealars; 1 supraalar present. Scutellum with transversely uniserial setae .

Wing broad, with well developed, projecting anal lobe; membrane with distinct punctation and setae in apical half; costa strongly extended, reaches apex of wing; R4+5 ends distal to apex of M3+4; R2+3 runs and ends close to R1; VR high; Cu1 slightly sinuous; second anal vein well developed; postcubitus ending far distal to cubital fork; anal vein ending below cubital fork. Brachiolum with 2­3 setae , subcosta, M, RM and postcubitus bare in male, only subcosta and sometimes postcubitus bare in female. Squama with several setae . Setae numerous in cells r4+5, m1+2 and m3+4 of both sexes; several in cell cu plus an in male with no setae on anal lobe, numerous also on anal lobe in cells cu plus an in female, no setae in cell m basal of RM in male, few in female. Sensilla campaniformia about 8 basally and 8 apically on brachiolum, 3 below setae on brachiolum; 1 present basally on subcosta, 1 on RM and 1 basally on R1.

Front leg ratio 0.6­0.7. Front tibial spur straight; spurs of mid tibia short; hind tibia with well developed spurs; hind tibial comb consisting of numerous conspicuously long setae . Pseudospurs, sensilla chaeticae and pulvilli absent.

Tergites with basal, marginal, median and lateral setae in both sexes.

Anal point absent. Tergite IX of male with several; laterosternite IX with few setae . Transverse sternapodeme strongly convex, oral projections relatively weak. Phallapodeme and aedeagal lobe well developed. Virga consisting of single long spine apparently apically split with a lamella to each side. Gonocoxite well developed; superior volsella apparently absent; inferior volsella well developed. Gonostylus broadest about 1/3 from apex, crista dorsalis low and extending almost full length of gonostylus, megaseta normal.

Female genitalia with well developed gonocoxite with several short and a few long setae . Coxosternapodeme curved, connected basal of vagina. Tergite IX divided into two setigerous protrusions. Segment X normal. Postgenital plate triangular. Cercus of moderate size. Gonapophysis VIII divided into small, but broad­based dorsomedial lobe and large ventrolateral lobe connected with dorsomedial lobe. Apodeme of apodeme lobe straight and conspicuous. Seminal capsules of moderate size, smaller than cerci, ovoid, dark sclerotized, with long neck. Spermathecal ducts with weak curves, with distinct bulbs and joined for a short distance before common opening. Labia with fine microtrichiae.