| | | Chironomids | | The Chironomids (Chironomidae) are a family of insects in the order two-winged flies (Diptera), the suborder Nematocera, the infraorder Culicomorpha and the superfamily Chironomoidea. The Chironomidae are divided into the following subfamilies: Aphroteniinae, Buchonomyiinae, Chilenomyinae, Chironominae, Diamesinae, Orthocladiinae, Podonominae, Prodiamesinae, Tanypodinae, Telmatogetoninae and Usambaromyiinae. | | |
| | | Genera of the family of midges are: Abiskomyia, Ablabesmyia, Acamptocladius, Acricotopus, Avrozavrelia, Alotanypus, Anatopynia, Antillocladius, Apedilum, Apometriocnemus, Apsectrotanypus, Arctodiamesa, Arctopelopia, Asheum, Australopelopia, Axarus, Baeoctenus, Baeotendipes, Beardius, Beckidia, Belgica, Bethbilbeckia, Boreochlus, Boreoheptagyia, Boreosmittia, Brillia, Brundiniella, Bryophaenocladius, Buchonomyia, Camptocladius, Carbochironomus, Cardiocladius, Chasmatonotus, Chernovskiia, Chironomus Cladopelma, Cladotanytarsus, Clinotanypus, Clunio, Coelotanypus, Compterusmittia, Conchapelopia, Constempellina, Corynocera, Corynoneura, Corynoneurella, Cricotopus, Cryptochironomus, Denopelopia, Derotanypus, Diamesa, Dicrotendipes, Diplocladius, Diplosmittia, Djalmabatista, Doithrix, Doncricotopus, Echinocladius, Einfeldia, Endochironomus, Endotribelos, Epoicocladius, Eretmoptera, Eukiefferiella, Eurycnemus, Euryhapsis, Fittkauimyia, Georthocladius, Gillotia, Glyptotendipes, Goeldichoronomus, Graceus, Gravatamberus, Guttipelopia, Gymnometriocnemus, Gynocladius, Halocladius, Harnischia, Hayesomyia, Heleniella, Helopelopia, Heterotanytarsus, Heterotrissocladius, Hudsonimyia, Hydrobaenus, Hyporhygma, Ichthyocladius, Irisobrillia, Kiefferulus, Kloosia, Krenopelopia, Krenosmittia, Labrundinia, Lappodiamesa, Lauterborniella, Lymnophyes, Lipiniella, Lipurometriocnemus, Litocladius, Lopescladius, Lyrocladius, Macropelopia, Mesocricotopus, Mesosmittia, Metriocnemus, Microchironomus, Micropsectra, Microtendipes, Monodiamesa, Monopelopia, Nanocladius, Natarsia, Neozavrelia, Nilotanypus, Nilothauma, Nimbocera, Odontomesa, Oliveridia, Omisus, Onconeura, Oreadomyia, Orthocladius, Pagastia, Pagastiella, Paraboreochlus, Parachaetocladius, Parachironomus, Paracladius, Paracladopelma, Paracricotopus, Parakiefferiella, Paralauterborniella, Paralymnophyes, Paramerina, Parametriocnemus, Parapentaneura, Paraphaenocladius, Parapsectra, Parasmittia, Paratanytarsus, Paratendipes, Paratrichocladius, Paratrissocladius, Parochlus, Parorthocladius, Pentaneura, Phaenopsectra, Pirara, Platysmittia, Plhudsonia, Polypedilum, Potthastia, Procladius, Prodiamesa, Protanypus, Psectrocladius, Psectrotanypus, Pseudokiefferiella, Pseudochironomus, Pseudodiamesa, Pseudorthocladius, Pseudosmittia, Psilometriocnemus, Rheocricotopus, Rheomyia, Rheopelopia, Rheosmittia, Rheotanytarsus, Robackia, Saetheria, Saetheriella, Schineriella, Semiocladius, Sergentia, Smittia, Stackelbergina, Stelechomyia, Stempellina, Stempellinella, Stenochironomus, Stictochironomus, Stilocladius, Sublettea, Sublettiella, Symbiocladius, Sympotthastia, Syndiamesa, Synendotendipes, Synorthocladius, Tanypus, Tanytarsus, Tavastia, Telmatogeton, Telmatopelopia, Telopelopia, Tethymyia, Thalassomya, Thalassosmittia, Thienemannia, Thienemanniella, Thienemannimyia, Tokunagia, Tribelos, Trichochilus, Trichotanypus, Trissocladius, Trissopelopia, Tvetenia, Unniella, Virgatanytarsus, Vivacricotopus, Xenochironomus, Xenopelopia, Xestochironomus, Xylotopus, Zalutschia, Zavrelia, Zavreliella and Zavrelimyia. | | |
| | | The Chironomids are found throughout the world. There are approximately 5,000 species in total, 570 of which occur in Germany. Some species of the genus Clunio are only found on the surface of the sea. Belgica antarktica are found solely in Antarctica. Most species of Chironomidae reproduce once a year. Chironomids are small to medium in size and reach body lengths of 2-14 mm. They have slender bodies and are soft-skinned. | | |
| | | The mouthparts have degenerated in many species and are not suitable for penetrating the skin, therefore they do not suck blood. Their antennae are hairy and can thus register more vibrations. The wings are usually very well developed and can be shaped differently according to the gender of the insect. In resting position the wings are posited roof-like on the body. Chironomids have a life expectancy of a few days. | | |
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| Description of images / photos
Photography with Cameras
Nikon D3x, Nikon D300, Canon 50D
Image editing with Photoshop | | 1. | Chironomid - Chironomidae |
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