The Chironomidae

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   1. Introduction

      • P. S. Cranston

      Pages 1-7

3. Taxonomy, Morphology and Biogeography

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9

      PDF

   2. Morphology

      • P. S. Cranston

      Pages 11-30

   3. Systematics

      • P. S. Cranston

      Pages 31-61

   4. Biogeography

      • P. S. Cranston

      Pages 62-84

4. Biology, Behaviour and Ecology

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 85-85

      PDF

   2. Biology of the eggs and first-instar larvae

      • L. C. V. Pinder

      Pages 87-106

   3. The habitats of chironomid larvae

      • L. C. V. Pinder

      Pages 107-135

   4. Larval food and feeding behaviour

      • M. B. Berg

      Pages 136-168

   5. The pupa and events leading to eclosion

      • P. H. Langton

      Pages 169-193

   6. Behaviour and ecology of adults

      • P. D. Armitage

      Pages 194-224

   7. Life cycles and population dynamics

      • M. Tokeshi

      Pages 225-268

   8. Production ecology

      • M. Tokeshi

      Pages 269-296

   9. Species interactions and community structure

      • M. Tokeshi

      Pages 297-335

5. Interactions with Humans

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 337-337

      PDF

   2. Nuisance, economic impact and possibilities for control

      • A. Ali

      Pages 339-364

   3. Medical significance

      • P. S. Cranston

      Pages 365-384

   4. Classification of water-bodies and pollution

      • C. Lindegaard

      Pages 385-404

   5. Chironomids as indicators of past environmental change

      • I. Walker

      Pages 405-422

The dipteran family Chironomidae is the most widely distributed and frequently the most abundant group of insects in freshwater, with rep­ resentatives in both terrestrial and marine environments. A very wide range of gradients of temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, salinity, current velocity, depth, productivity, altitude and latitude have been exploited, by at least some chironomid species, and in grossly polluted environments chironomids may be the only insects present. The ability to exist in such a wide range of conditions has been achieved largely by behavioural and physiological adaptations with relatively slight morphological changes. It has been estimated that the number of species world-wide may be as high as 15000. This high species diversity has been attributed to the antiquity of the family, relatively low vagility leading to isolation, and evolutionary plasticity. In many aquatic ecosystems the number of chironomid species present may account for at least 50% of the total macroinvertebrate species recorded. This species richness, wide distribution and tolerance to adverse conditions has meant that the group is frequently recorded in ecological studies but taxonomic difficulties have in the past prevented non-specialist identification beyond family or subfamily level. Recent works, including genetic studies, have meant that the family is receiving much more attention globally.

• biology
• classification
• ecology
• environment
• insect
• morphology
• ecotoxicology

...well-organized..well-edited...comprehensive overview... - Journal of Paleolimnology

• The River Laboratory, Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Wareham, UK

  Patrick D. Armitage

• Taxonomy and General Biology Section, CSIRO Division of Entomology, Canberra, Australia

  Peter S. Cranston

• Eastern Rivers Laboratory, Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Cambridgeshire, UK

  L. C. V. Pinder

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