190 J. ROSE ANDJ.D. HARDER Vol. 85

Copyright © 1985 Ohio Acad. Sci. 0030-0950/85/0004-0190 $2.00/0

ECOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION OF CHIRONOMID LARVAE FROM CARROLL COUNTY, OHIO (DIPTERA: )1

DAVE McSHAFFREY2 and JOHN H. OLIVE, Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325

ABSTRACT. Chironomid larvae were collected from lotic and lentic sites in Carroll Co., Ohio, from October 1981 to October 1982. Over 700 larvae were mounted on glass slides for identification. A total of 80 species was found. The species collected are listed with site and date of collection. The number of species is comparable to that reported in other studies. Gut contents are listed for 49 species, most of which are detritivores. Some species probably change feeding habits depending on their age and stream flow. Approximate emergence periods are given for 10 species.

OHIOJ. SCI. 85 (4): 190-198, 1985

INTRODUCTION Co.; Buchanan (1980) is a noteworthy The larvae of the family Chironomidae exception. are important as water quality indicators Carroll Co. is part of the unglaciated because of their abundance, widespread Allegheny Plateau in east central Ohio distribution, and ecological diversity. This (fig. 1). Most of the county is in forest or study investigated the larval chironomid farmland, with dairy farms being the pre- fauna of several different types of water dominant farm type (Gerber and bodies in Carroll Co., Ohio, including Buzard 1981). The Flushing Escarpment streams, farm ponds, reservoirs, and runs north-south across the county; to the swamps. In general, the Ohio chironomid we,st of the escarpment the streams are pre- fauna is not well known. Most of the dominantly low-gradient and lie in beds of reports of the fauna are found in the glacial outwash; to the east the streams are ecological literature, and as a rule most high-gradient and cut through bedrock. ecologists have not dealt with the family The streams to the west flow into Sandy below the generic level. Little natural and Connotton Creeks of the Tuscarawas history work has been done in Carroll River drainage; to the east they flow into Yellow Creek of the Ohio River drainage.

'Manuscript received 15 May 1985 and in revised METHODS AND MATERIALS form 27 June 1985 (#85-18). Larval chironomids were collected by sieving 2Present Address: Department of Entomology, substrate through a No. 30 U.S. soil sieve. To sup- Entomology Hall, Purdue University, West La- plement the larval material for taxonomic and life fayette, IN 47907 (Author to whom correspondence history analyses, adults were collected at the various should be addressed.) sites by sweeping the vegetation along the banks, or Ohio J. Sci. CHIRONOMIDS OF CARROLL CO., OHIO 191

MALVERN Donahaven Pond , TO TUSCARAWAS RIVER Lake Still Fork

UPPER NORTH FORK

Leesvllle AMSTERDAM Lake DINING FORK

ELK FORK

CARROLL CO.

OHIO

FIGURE 1. Map of Carroll Co. showing location of the 10 sampling sites. The sites are denoted as follows: DF — Dining Fork, DRP — Donahaven Rainbow Pond, EF — Elk Fork, LE — Leesville Lake, MK — Lake Mohawk, PR —Pipe Run, SC — Sandy Creek, SF —Still Fork, SS —Still Fork Swamp, UNF —Upper North Fork.

collecting the adults directly from the vegetation witz (1976), Oliver (1981), Roback (1957, 1962, with an aspirator. A black light was used to attract 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981), Saether (1975, 1976, adults at Sandy Creek and Upper North Fork. Black- 1977), and Soponis (1977). Collections were made lighting was conducted at dusk or dawn. Larvae from October 1981, to October 1982, at 10 sites were mounted on glass slides in CMCP9/9AF judged to be representative of the major types of mounting medium, as suggested by Beckett and water bodies present in the county. Dates of the Lewis (1982). Identifications were based on a variety collections are included in table 1. of keys including Simpson and Bode (1980), The following lotic sites were sampled: Sandy Mason (1973), Beck (1976), Boesel (1974), Masch- Creek (SC) at the State Route (SR) 43 bridge (bridge TABLE 1 Chironomidae collected from Carroll Co., Ohio, USA from October 1981 to October 1982.

Taxa

TANYPODINAE TANYPOD1NI sp.

MACROPELOPIINI D . McSHAFFRE Y AN J H OLIV E pulcher(Johannsen) (Procladius) sp. Procladius (Psilotanypus) bellus (Loew) COELOTANYPODINI pinguis (Lowe) concinnus (Coquillett) Coelotanypus scapularis (Loew) mallochi (Walley) Ablabesmyia parajanta (Roback) (Conchapelopia) sp. Conchapelopia () cornuticaudata (Walley) Conchapelopia (Meropelopia) americana Fittkau Conchapelopia (Meropelopia) flavifrons (Johannsen) sp. Diamesa sp. Sympotthastia sp. CORYNONEURINI Corynoneura celeripes (Winnertz) Corynoneura taris Roback Vol . 8 5 Thienemanniella probably xena Roback OhioJ . Sci ORTHOCLADIINI Brillia par (Coquillet) Crkotopus sp. A Cricotopus sp. B Crkotopus bicintus (Meigen) Cricotopus intersectus group Cricotopus sylvestris group Cricotopus tremulus group Cricotopus trifascia group Eukiefferiella discoloripes group Eukiefferiella potthasti group Eukiefferiella pseudomontana group Heterotrissocladius sp. A Heterotrissocladius sp. B CHIRONOMID S O F CARROL L CO. , OHI Hydrobaenus pilipes (Malloch) Orthocladius (Orthocladius) carlatus (Roback) Orthocladius (Orthocladius) dentifer Brundin Orthocladius (Orthocladius) obumbratus Johannsen Parakiefferiella sp. Parametriocnemus lundbecki (Johannsen) Paraphaenocladius sp. Rheocricotopus prob. robacki (Beck and Beck) Chironomus sp. Chironomus sp. A Chironomus sp. B Cryptochironomus digitatus (Malloch) Cryptochironomus fulvus (Johannsen) Dicrotendipes neomodestus (Malloch) Dicrotendipes nervosus (Staeger)-Type II Einfeldia insolita (Kieffer) Microtendipes caelum Townes Parachironomus monochromus (Van der Wulp) Paralauterborniella nigrohalteralis Malloch Phaenopsectra sp. Polypedilum species A Polypedilum species B Polypedilum species C (Continued) TABLE 1 (Continued)

Taxa

Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) sp. Polypedilum (Polypedilum) aviceps Townes Polypedilum (Polypedilum) convictum (Walker) Polypedilum (Polypedilum) fallax Johannsen

Polypedilum (Polypedilum) D . McSHAFFRE Y AN J H OLIV E illinoense (Malloch) Polypedilum (Polypedilum) nymphaeorum Maschwitz Polypedilum (Polypedilum) trigonum Townes Polypedilum (Tripodura) scalaenum (Schrank) Pseudochironomus sp. Pseudochironomus richardsoni (Malloch) Stenochironomus sp. Stictochironomus devinctus (Say) Tribelos jucundus (Walker) Xenochironomus (Xenochironomus) xenolabis (Kieffer) TANYTARSINI Cladotanytarsus nr. conversus (Johannsen) Cladotanytarsus viridiventris Malloch Rheotanytarsus distinctissimus group Rheotanytarsus exiguus group Tanytarsus sp. Tanytarsus species A Tanytarsus species B Tanytarsus coffmani Roback Tanytarsus glabrescens group Tanytarsus guerlus group Zavrelia sp. Vol . 8 5 *Stations are abbreviated as follows: UNF = Upper North Fork —A = X/3/81, B - X/10/81, C - IV/10/82, D = VI/14/82, E = VI/28/82, F = VII/ 10/82, G = VII/25/82, H = VIII/18/82, I = IX/4/82, J = IX/20/82, K = X/9/82. SC = Sandy Creek —L = X/ll/81, M = III/13/82, N = VI/ 15/82, O =VI/29/82, P = VII/13/82, Q = VII/25/82, R = VIII/18/82, S = IX/4/82, T = IX/20/82, U = X/9/82. EF = Elk Fork, IX/20/82. DF = Dining Fork, IX/20/82. SF = Still Fork, IX/4/82. PR = Pipe Run, X/9/82. LE = Leesville Lake, X/17/81. MK = Lake Mohawk; X/31/81, HI/6/82, VII/23/82, with adults collected at various times. DRP = Donahaven Rainbow Pond; XI/14/81, IV/10/82. SS = Still Fork Swamp Nature Preserve; VH/3/82, IX/4/82. Underscoring indicates collection of adult specimens. OhioJ. Sci. CHIRONOMIDS OF CARROLL CO., OHIO 195

CAR 43/2347) in Malvern, Ohio; Upper North Where two or more morphologically dis- Fork of Yellow Creek (UNF) in Jefferson Co. 2.1 km tinct specimens key to the same taxonomic south of the Carroll Co. line along SR 524; Pipe Run (PR) at SR 171 (bridge CAR 171/0953); grouping they are indicated by a letter (i.e. Dining Fork of Connotton Creek (DF) at SR 164 Chironomus sp. A). These lettered species (bridge CAR 164/1047); Elk Fork of Yellow Creek do not necessarily correspond to any de- (EF) at SR 164 (bridge CAR 164/1556); Still Fork of scribed species. For a further interpretation Sandy Creek (SF) at SR 9 (bridge CAR 9/2165). of the and ecology of the taxa Four lentic sites were also examined: Still Fork Swamp Nature Preserve (SS), owned by The Nature listed, see McShaffrey (1983). Conservancy, is located on County Road 10; and Carroll Co. has a chironomid fauna com- Donahaven Rainbow Pond (DRP), an aerated trout parable to other regions. Ferrington (1981) pond that is now part of a Boy Scout camp near listed 34 species from Kansas, although 54 Kensington, Ohio. Leesville Lake (LE) was sampled at the middle of its north fork in six meters of water. genera have been reported there. Roback This site probably is anoxic in the late summer (1953) lists 69 species from the Savannah (Tobin and Youger 1979). Lake Mohawk (MK) was River, and Curry (1954) found 39 taxa in sampled at two sites: at the shoreline of a swamp at Hunt Creek, MI. Dendy and Sublette the south end of the lake, and in open water near the west end of the dam at the north end of the lake in (1959) listed 50 species in Alabama, and five meters of water. Boerger (1981) found 112 species in a river Upper North Fork and Sandy Creek are desirable in Alberta. Hyland (1982) collected 32 candidates for future biological monitoring projects. genera which could have been divided into Therefore they were sampled 11 and 10 times, re- about 60 species from the Tuscarawas spectively. The remaining sites were examined only once or twice each in order to more thoroughly River, Ohio. evaluate the chironomid fauna of the county. This study was designed to survey the Gut content analyses were made of all the larval chironomid fauna that would most likely specimens mounted. No attempt was made during be encountered in a benthic macroinver- collection to prevent regurgitation of food in the gut, and many specimens had empty guts. Guts tebrate water quality survey. Therefore, were left in the bodies and examined microscopically many microhabitats were not sampled, through the cuticle. Contents were identified as be- including submerged wood, aquatic vas- ing detritus, diatoms, plant material, or ma- cular plants, and terrestrial microhabitats terial. Detritus was classified as fine material which such as rotting wood or water-filled stump could not be assigned to any of the other groups. Specimens containing detritus often had consid- holes. No attempt was made to compre- erable non-organic material such as fine sand in the hensively sample the adult fauna, or to gut. An attempt was also made to identify the dia- identify the majority of the adult chiro- toms or at least distinguish between benthic or nomids that were collected. Consequently, planktonic forms. Identification of the plant or ani- mal material was determined whenever possible. All the number of species found probably specimens are retained in the Purdue University En- represents a significant underestimate tomological Research Collection. of the number of chironomid species in Carroll Co. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Based on the collection of adults and Over 700 larval chironomids were larvae of known developmental stage, the mounted on slides, examined, and identi- emergence phenology of several taxa can be fied. Eighty species were collected, includ- estimated. The following taxa were col- ing representatives of 39 genera. Ten of the lected as adults: Ablabesmyia parajanta species are represented by adults collected (Roback) V-l-82; Heterotrissodadius sp. A in the field or reared from larvae. A com- III-13-82; Heterotrissodadius sp. B V-l-82; plete list of species is given in table 1, Paraphaenocladius sp. V-l-82; Para- along with date and place of collection. chironomus monochromus (Van der Wulp) Of the 80 species collected, 43 are rec- VI-29-82; Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) sp. ognized species. The remaining specimens VI-29-82; Cladotany tarsus viridiventris were identified to the lowest taxonomic Malloch VII-2-82. Hydrobaenus pilipes grouping practical with the keys used. (Malloch) prepupae were collected on III- 196 D. McSHAFFREY AND J. H. OLIVE Vol. 85

TABLE 2 Gut contents ofchironomid larvae collected from Carroll Co., Ohio, from October 1981 to October 1982.

Taxa Gut Contents

Tanypus sp. filamentous algae Clinotanypus pinguis Chironomus sp. Concbapelopia (Conchapelopia) Polypedilum sp., Tanytarsus sp. Conchapelopia (Helopelopia) cornuticaudata diatoms, detritus Sympotthastia sp. detritus (high flow), benthic diatoms (low flow) Thienemanniella prob. xena detritus Cricotopus sp. A. benthic diatoms Cricotopus sp. B. benthic diatoms, detritus Cricotopus bicinctus Gomphonema, Melosira, Cymbella Cricotopus intersectus group detritus (high flow), benthic diatoms (low flow) Cricotopus tremulus group Gomphonema, Melosira, Meridion, Cymbella, plant debris, detritus (high flow), benthic diatoms (low flow) Cricotopus trifascia group detritus Eukiefferiella discoloripes group detritus, diatoms Eukiefferiella potthasti group detritus, planktonic diatoms Eukiefferiella pseudomontana group planktonic diatoms Orthocladius (Ortbocladius) carlatus detritus, benthic diatoms Orthocladius (Orthocladius) obumbratus detritus, benthic diatoms, filamentous blue-green algae Parametriocnemus lundbecki Melosira, other diatoms Rheocricotopus prob. robacki Melosira, detritus Chironomus sp. A detritus Cryptochironomus digitatus diatoms, chironomid larvae Dicrotendipes neomodestus detritus Dicrotendipes nervosus Type II detritus Einfeldia insolita diatoms Microtendipes caelum early instar benthic diatoms older larvae detritus, benthic diatoms Paralauterborniella nigrohalteralis detritus Phaenopsectra sp. detritus, diatoms Polypedilum sp. A detritus Polypedilum sp. B detritus Polypedilum sp. C. detritus Polypedilum (Polypedilum) aviceps detritus Polypedilum (Polypedilum) convictum detritus, planktonic diatoms Polypedilum (Polypedilum) illinoense detritus Polypedilum (Polypedilum) nymphaeorum detritus, plant debris Polypedilum (Polypedilum) trigonum diatoms Polypedilum (Tripodura) scalaenum detritus (high flow), benthic diatoms (low flow) Pseudochironomus richardsoni detritus Stenochironomus sp. plant debris Stictochironomus devinctus detritus Tribelos jucundus detritus Xenochironomus (Xenochironomus) xenolabis early instar planktonic diatoms later instars sponge spicules (presumably from feeding on sponge) Rheotanytarsus distinctissimus group Melosira, detritus, planktonic diatoms Rheotanytarsus exiguus group Melosira, detritus, planktonic diatoms Tany tarsus sp. A detritus Tany tarsus sp. B detritus Tanytarsus coffmani detritus, benthic diatoms, planktonic diatoms Tanytarsus glabrescens group detritus, benthic diatoms, planktonic diatoms Tanytarsus guerlus group detritus, planktonic diatoms Zavrelia sp. detritus OhioJ. Sci. CHIRONOMIDS OF CARROLL CO., OHIO 197

13-82. Early instar larvae of Microtendipes ). J. Kans. Entomol. Soc. 47: caelum Townes were present on IX-4-82. 417-432. Buchanan, F. W. 1980 The breeding birds of In the case of Xenochironomus (Xeno- Carroll and northern Jefferson Counties, Ohio. chironomus) xenolabis (Kieffer), emergence Ohio Biol. Sur. Biol. Notes No. 12. 50 p. apparently occurred between VIII-18-82 Curry, L. L. 1954 Notes on the ecology of the and IX-4-82. In addition, some first instar fauna (Diptera: Tendipedidae) of Hunt larvae of this species were collected on Creek, Montmorency County Michigan. Ecol. 35: 541-550. VII-25-82. Dendy, J. S. and J. E. Sublette 1959 The Chiro- Gut content analyses (table 2), while nomidae (=Tendipedidae: Diptera) of Alabama often based on a very small number of in- with descriptions of 6 new species. Ann. Ento- dividuals, suggest some interesting phe- mol. Soc. Amer. 52: 506-519- Ferrington, L. C. Jr. 1981 Kansas USA Chiro- nomena. In several species there was an nomidae 1. Tech. Pub. Sta. Biol. Sur. Kan. 10: apparent shift in food source from benthic 45-51. diatoms to detritus within a cohort. This Gerber, T. D. and R. W. Buzard 1981 An in- shift was coincident with summer rains in- ventory of Ohio Soils — Carroll County. Ohio creasing both flow and turbidity. The shift Dept. Natur. Res., Div. Lands and Soil. Prog. Rep. No. 62. 49 p. may have been an opportunistic response to Hyland, S. M. 1982 Benthic macroinvertebrates increased amounts of food particles carried as indices of water quality in the upper Tus- by the increased flow. Alternately, it could carawas River. M.S. Thesis. Univ. Akron, Akron, represent an accommodation to the higher OH. 76 p. flow rate preventing grazing on the pre- Maschwitz, D. E. 1976 Revision of the neartic species of the subgenus Polypedilum (Chironomi- ferred food source. In either case it illus- dae: Diptera). PhD. Diss. Univ. Minnesota. trates the flexibility of the organisms to 325 p. exploit various food sources and the danger Mason, W. T., Jr. 1973 An introduction to the in making generalizations about a species' identification of chironomid larvae. Anal. Qual. feeding habits and its role in the whole Contr. Lab., U.S. EPA. 90 p. McShaffrey, D. 1983 The ecology and distribu- ecosystem. Other species, such as Xeno- tion of the Chironomidae (Diptera) in Carroll chironomus (Xenochironomus) xenolabis (Kief- County, Ohio, USA. M.S. Thesis. Univ. Akron, fer), apparently shift their feeding habits Akron, OH. 73 p. with age; this increases the complexity of Oliver, D. R. 1981 Family Chironomidae. In: J. F. McAlpine et al. (eds.), Manual of Neartic describing a given species' ecology. Diptera. Vol. 1. Can. Gov. Publ. Cent., Hull, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The authors wish to thank Quebec. 674 p. the Department of Biology at The University Roback, S. S. 1953 Savannah River tendipedid of Akron for support of this project. We would larvae (Diptera: Tendipedidae (=Chironomidae)). also like to thank Mike Bolton, John Campbell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 105: 91-132. Jody Dremann, Richard Dremann, Janet Gammell, 1957 The immature tendipedids of the Susanne Hyland, Mark Sanders and the other per- Philadelphia area (Diptera: Tendipedidae). sonnel at Bio-Grad for field and laboratory support. Monogr. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 9: 1-152. Drs. John MacDonald and W. P. McCafferty kindly 1962 The genus Xenochironomus (Dip- reviewed an early copy of the manuscript. tera: Tendipedidae) Kieffer, taxonomy and imma- ture stages. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 88: LITERATURE CITED 235-246. Beck, W. M., J r. 197 6 B iology of the larval chi- 1976 The immature chironomids of the ronomids. Fla. St. Dept. Envir. Reg. Tech. Ser. eastern United States. I. Introduction and Tany- 2(1): 1-58. podinae-Coelotanypodini. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. Beckett, D. C. and P. L. Lewis 1982 An efficient Phila. 127: 147-201. procedure for slide mounting of larval chirono- 1978 The immature chironomids of the mids. Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc. 101: 96-99- eastern United States III. Tanypodinae- Boerger, H. 1981 Species composition abun- , and . dance and emergence phenology of (Dip- Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 129: 151-202. tera: Chironomidae) in a brown water stream of 1980 The immature chironomids of the West Central Alberta, Canada. Hydrobiologica eastern United States IV. Tanypodinae — 80: 7-30. Prodadiini. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 132: Boesel, M. W. 1974 Observations on the Co- 1-63. elotanypodini of the northeastern states with keys 1981 The immature chironomids of the to the known stages (Diptera: Chironomidae: eastern United States V. Pentaneurini — 198 D. McSHAFFREY AND J. H. OLIVE Vol. 85

Thienemannimyia group. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Simpson, K. W. and R. W. Bode 1980 Com- Phil. 133: 73-128. mon larvae of Chironomidae (Diptera) from New Saether, O. A. 1975 Neartic and Paleartic Het- York state streams and rivers. New York State erotrissocladius (Diptera: Chironomidae). Bull. Museum Bui. Number 439- 105 p. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 193: 1-67. Soponis, A. R. 1977 A revision of the neartic 1976 Revision of Hydrobaenus, Tri- species of Orthocladius (Orthodadius) van der Wulp ssocladius, Zalutschia, Paratrissocladius, and some(Diptera: Chironomidae). Mem. Entomol. Soc. related genera (Diptera: Chironomidae). Bull. Can. 102: 1-188. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 195: 1-283- Tobin, R. L. and J.D. Youger 1979 Chemical 1977 Taxonomic studies on Chironomi- and Biological Quality of Selected Lakes In dae: Nanocladius, Pseudochironomus, and the Har- Ohio—1976 and 1977. U.S. Geol. Sur. Wat. nischia complex. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 196: Res. Invest, p. 78-104. 1-143.