Chironomus alluaudi Kieffer, 1913

Wuelker, Wolfgang F., Kiknadze, I. I. & Istomina, A. G., 2011, Karyotypes of Chironomus Meigen (Diptera: Chironomidae) species from Africa, Comparative Cytogenetics 1, pp. 23-46 : 24-27

Chironomus alluaudi Kieffer, 1913

Previous reports:

Kieffer 1913, imago.

Freeman 1957, imago.

Wülker 1980, photo of arms A-G

Wülker et al. 1989, phylogenetic position

Kiknadze et al. 2004, list of banding sequences of arms A, C, D, E, and F

Karyotype

(Fig. 1a). Haploid number n=4, arm combination AE CD BF G ( “pseudothummi” cytocomplex), centromere bands not heterochromatinized, nucleolus in arm G (terminal), at least 3 Balbiani Rings (BRs) on arm G, inversion polymorphism in arms C and G.

Banding sequences (Fig. 1b-g)

Arm A (Fig. 1b) has the sequence all A1 identical with the main sequence of arm A found in many Chironomus species ( Chironomus holomelas Keyl,1961, Chironomus melanescens Keyl, 1961, etc.) and it is considered a cosmopolitan basic sequence (holA1).

Arm E (Fig. 1c, 7b) has the sequence allE1 identical with Chironomus piger ST (cosmopolitan basic sequence).

Arm C (Fig. 1d) has two sequences, allC1 and allC2, differing by a simple inversion. The sequence allC1 differs greatly from the basic sequence in arm C; therefore we have compared it with Chironomus piger ST: differing by seven inversion steps from pigST:

Arm D (Fig. 1e) has single sequence allD1 differing by one inversion step from pigST:

Arm B (Fig. 1a) not mapped, monomorphic. The common BR is not developed.

Arm F (Fig. 1f) has the sequence allF1, identical with pigST (cosmopolitan basic sequence).

Arm G (Figs 1a, g) not mapped, has two sequences allG1 and allG2 differing by one simple inversion in the central part of arm G, including two of the Balbiani rings.

In total, the banding sequence pool of Chironomus alluaudi contains 9 sequences. Six of them endemic for Africa (Ethiopian sequences), three of them (allA1, allE1, allF1) belong to the category of cosmopolitan basic sequences. Chironomus alluaudi can be considered asa Chironomus species with a primitive karyotype ( Wülker, 1980, 2010).

Larva:

“thummi-type” (no tubuli laterales) on abdominal segment VII). Mentum with high lateral tooth, median tooth as in other Chironomus species, pectin epipharyngis about 11 teeth, antenna black with 4 segments, paralabial plates about 40 striae.

Distribution:

different places in Africa ( Freeman 1957), Kenya (leg. Wülker, Jan. 1976). Dunking troughs brooks and pools at Endebess/Mt Elgon (N. Cox leg.); mountain lakes W of Nakuru, Aberdare mountains up to 3300m, ponds Mt. Kenya 4350m (Oltmanns leg.) near Limuru (north of Nairobi), Athi river south of Nairobi, Amboseli-park ( Wülker leg.)