Annls Limnol. 23 (1) 1987 : 27-60 The zoogeographical distribution of Chironomidae (Insecta : Diptera) P. Ashe' D. A. Murray2 F. Reiss3 Keywords : Chironomidae, distribution, zoogeography, ecology, Diptera. A review of present information on the zoogeography of Chironomidae at subfamily and generic levels is given. The known distribution, including some previously unpublished records, of all recognisable genera (307) and subgenera (56) is tabulated according to zoogeographical region. The greatest number of genera is known from the Nearctic (202) follo­ wed by the Palaearctic (187), Neotropical (109), Australasian (107), Afrotropical (104) and Oriental (100). The chironomid fauna of each zoogeographical region is discussed and a comparison of the number of known species and percentage repre­ sentation of each subfamily for each region is given. An account of the distribution and ecology of each of the ten subfami­ lies is included. To date, some 3 700 species are described representing only 30 % of the estimated world chironomid fauna. The fossil record of the group is briefly discussed and the Chironomidae are estimated to be at least 200 million years old dating back to the Triassic period. Répartition biogéographique des Chlronomidés (Insecta : Diptera). Mots clés : Chironomidés, répartition, biogéographie, écologie, Diptera. Une révision des connaissances actuelles de la biogéographie mondiale des sous-familles, genres et sous-genres de Chi­ ronomidae est présentée. La répartition de 307 genres et 56 sous-genres dans les différentes régions biogéographiques est établie à partir des données de la littérature et de données originales. La région néarctique compte le plus grand nombre de genres (202), suivie par les régions paléarctique (187), néotropi­ cale (109), australienne (107), afrotropicale (104) et orientale (100). Le nombre d'espèces connues dans chaque région, leur proportion relative dans les 10 sous-familles, sont comparées ; leur répartition et leur écologie sont examinées. A ce jour, quelque 3 700 espèces sont décrites ; elles représenteraient seulement 30 % de la faune totale présumée des Chironomidae du monde. Les découvertes fossiles permettent d'estimer la présence des Chironomidés dès la période tria- sique, il y a au moins 200 millions d'années. 1. Introduction immature stages of most species occur in freshwa­ ter but many terrestrial, marine and brackish water The family Chironomidae is a cosmopolitan group species are known. of dipteran insects representatives of which occur in all zoogeographical regions of the world, inclu­ Most of the early entomologists lived and worked ding Antarctica. There are few areas where the Chi­ in western Europe and consequently the fauna of ronomidae can be regarded as being absent. The the Palaerctic, in particular the western Palaearc­ tic, was most intensively studied. It is not surpri­ sing therefore that the chironomid fauna of this 1. Department of Zoology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland. region has been most thoroughly studied, followed 2. Department of Zoology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. by the Nearctic, Afrotropical and Australasian 3. Zoologische Staatssammlung, Munchhausenstrasse 21, regions. The fauna of the Neotropical and Oriental D-8000 Munchen 60, Federal Republic of Germany. regions is particularily poorly known. Article available at http://www.limnology-journal.org or http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/limn/1987002 I* \SHK. IX A. Ml'KKA Y. I . KIISS Ashe (1983) recognised 355 valid genera within the Neotropical region, the Buchonomyiinae from the ten chironomid subfamilies. Some of those genera, Palaeartic and Oriental, the Aphroteniinae from the though technically valid, are of uncertain status. A Neotropical, Afrotropical and Australasian regions few of the valid genera have since been synonymi- and the Prodiamesinae from the Palaearctic, Nearc­ zed with other genera and some new genera have tic, Neotropical and Oriental regions. been recently described. The 307 genera treated in this work are recognisable genera (i.e. identifiable There has been no previous attempt to give an using recent taxonomic works) excluding those account of the global distribution of chironomid genera which are of doubtful status or those which genera. In this work the definition of zoogeographi­ colleagues have indicated are unpublished synonyms. cal regions in general follows the classical divisions A total of 56 subgenera are currently recognised. with the main difference being that all continental Represenatives of six subfamilies, Telmatogetoninae, and oceanic islands are assigned to zoogeographical Tanypodinae, Podonominae, Diamesinae, Orthocla- regions (Fig. 1). The proposed boundary of the Antarc­ diinae and Chironominae, have been recorded from tic region has been extended to include some of the all zoogeographical regions. The remaning four sub­ subantarctic islands. Further comments on the boun­ families appear to have a more restricted distribu­ daries between some zoogeographical regions are tion. The Chilenomyiinae are known from the given later in the text. (3) THE ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CHIRONOMIDAE 29 2. Chironomid fauna of the zoogeogra­ Table 1 : The number of genera of each subfamily recor­ phical regions ded from the six zoogeographical regions. The known zoogeographical distribution of all currently recognised genera and subgenera is listed (p. 10-18) and a summary of the subfamily generic representation in the zoogeographical zones is given in Table 1. 2.1. Palaearctic and Nearctic regions Telmatogetoninae 2 2 2 2 2 2 These two regions, which together constitute the Chilenomyiinae 0 0 1 0 0 0 Holarctic, are best considered together because of Tanypodinae 29 36 15 16 17 19 faunal similarity. There are many monographs and Buchonomyiinae 1 0 0 0 1 0 revisions of various genera available, especially on Podonominae 5 5 5 7 2 2 the Palaeartic fauna. Eight of the ten chironomid Aphroceniinae 0 0 2 3 0 1 subfamilies are found in the Holarctic. The two sub­ Diamesinae 11 10 5 3 6 2 families which do not occur are the Chilenomyiinae Prodiamesinae 3 4 2 0 2 0 and Aphroteniiae although fossil representatives of Orthocladiinae 74 79 34 36 33 31 the latter have been described from northern Chironojiinae 62 66 43 40 37 47 U.S.S.R. The most important taxonomic work on identifying the genera of the region is the collabo­ TOTAL 187 202 109 107 100 104 rative work « Chironomidae of the Holarctic Region » edited by Wiederholm (1983 el seq.). Volu­ mes dealing with the larvae and pupae are publis­ hed and one further volume dealing with adult males expected to occur in the arctic-subarctic regions of is in preparation. the Nearctic. Three of the four genera of Prodiame­ sinae are recorded from the Holarctic but the fourth In the Palaearctic and Nearctic respectively the genus, Compteromesa, is only known from the S.E. subfamily Tanypodinae is represented by 29 and 36 Nearctic. genera with 26 genera common to both regions (Table 1). Genera which occur in the Nearctic not The subfamily Orthocladiinae is represented yet recorded from the Palaeartic are : Aiotanypus, in the Holarctic by 91 genera of which 74 are Brundiniella, Cantopelopia, Coelotanypus, Fitt- found in the Palaearctic, 79 occur in the Nearc­ kauimyia, Helopelopia, Hudsonimyia, Meropelopia, tic and 62 genera are common to both. Twelve Pentaneura and Radoianypus. Genera currently uni­ genera are currently unique to the Palaearctic que to the Palaearctic are Anatopynia, Pentaneurella region : Boreosmittia, Dratnalia, Eurycnemus, and Telmatopelopia. The majority of these genera Lappokiejferiella, Lindebergia, Propsilocerus, may ultimately be found in both regions with the Semiocladius, Stackelbergina, Tavastia, Tokuna- possible exception of Aiotanypus, Anatopynia, Pen­ gayusurika, Trissocladius and Tsudayusurika. taneura and Telmatopelopia. Ten genera are only found in the Nearctic : Baeoc- tenus, Doithrix, Oreadomyia, Platysmitiia, Plhudso- Among the smaller subfamilies the representation nia, Saetheriella, Sublettiella, Tethymyia, Trichochi- of genera in the Palaearctic and Nearctic is very lus and Unniella. similar or identical. The Buchonomyiinae (sole genus : Buchonomyia) within the Holarctic is only In the Holarctic the Chironominae are represen­ known from the Palaearctic (Ireland through Middle ted by 74 genera. The Palaearctic and Nearctic con­ Europe to Iran). The same five genera of Podonomi- tain 62 and 66 genera respectively of which 54 are nae occur in both regions. Only one additional genus common to both regions. Twelve Nearctic genera of Diamesinae, Lappodiamesa, occurs in the (Asheum, Beardius, Caladomyia, Gillotia, Goeldichi- Palaearctic. Representatives of this genus have been ronomus, Hyporhygma, Nimbocera, Oschia, Skutzia, found in high northern latitudes and it could be Stelechomyia, Sublettea and Xestochtronomus) do 30 P. ASHE, D.A. MURRAY, F. REISS (4) not occur in the Palaearctic and of these Oschia and regarding some of the genera listed in Table 2 and Stelechomyia are unique to the Nearctic. Eight some are so recently described that it is impossible Palaearctic genera (Baeoiendipes, Fleuria, Kloosta, to predict the distribution of a particular genus. Lithotanytarsus, Neostempellina, Nilodorum, Thie- Very few truly endemic genera in either the nemanniola and Virgatanytarsus) are not recorded Palaearctic or the Nearctic are to be expected. from the Nearctic and five of these, Fleuria, Kloo- A total of 1285 valid species is known from the sia, Lithotanytarsus,