CHIRONOMUS Newsletter on Chironomidae Research No. 25 ISSN 0172-1941 (printed) 1891-5426 (online) November 2012 CONTENTS Editorial: Inventories - What are they good for? 3 Dr. William P. Coffman: Celebrating 50 years of research on Chironomidae 4 Dear Sepp! 9 Dr. Marta Margreiter-Kownacka 14 Current Research Sharma, S. et al. Chironomidae (Diptera) in the Himalayan Lakes - A study of sub- fossil assemblages in the sediments of two high altitude lakes from Nepal 15 Krosch, M. et al. Non-destructive DNA extraction from Chironomidae, including fragile pupal exuviae, extends analysable collections and enhances vouchering 22 Martin, J. Kiefferulus barbitarsis (Kieffer, 1911) and Kiefferulus tainanus (Kieffer, 1912) are distinct species 28 Short Communications An easy to make and simple designed rearing apparatus for Chironomidae 33 Some proposed emendations to larval morphology terminology 35 Chironomids in Quaternary permafrost deposits in the Siberian Arctic 39 New books, resources and announcements 43 Finnish Chironomidae 47 Chironomini indet. (Paratendipes?) from La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Photo by Carlos de la Rosa. CHIRONOMUS Newsletter on Chironomidae Research Editors Torbjørn EKREM, Museum of Natural History and Archaeology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway Peter H. LANGTON, 16, Irish Society Court, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT52 1GX The CHIRONOMUS Newsletter on Chironomidae Research is devoted to all aspects of chironomid research and aims to be an updated news bulletin for the Chironomidae research community. The newsletter is published yearly in October/November, is open access, and can be downloaded free from this website: http:// www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/chironomus. Publisher is the Museum of Natural History and Archaeology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. Research articles for the CHIRONOMUS Newsletter are subject to peer-review. Contributions to CHIRONOMUS Newsletter on Chironomidae Research should be submitted online through the online journal system: http://www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/chironomus following the author guidelines. Submission deadline for contributions to the newsletter is July 1. Would you like to see your picture on the front page? Please send us your favourite midge photograph or drawing ([email protected]). Printed copies of the CHIRONOMUS Newsletter are available at the following libraries: Bavarian State Library, Munich, Germany Biology Library, Univeristy of Lund, Sweden Natural History Library, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA Library and Archives, Natural History Museum, London, UK Science and Health Library, University of Tromsø, Norway Science Library, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway The Royal Library, Copenhagen, Denmark Front page layout: Chironomid in title from photograph by Steve Marshall, Graphic design by Kolbjørn Skarpnes, NTNU Information Division. Front page photo: Chironomini indet., possibly Paratendipes? Photo by Carlos de la Rosa. 2 Editorial Inventories — What are they good for? Do we have the same interpretation of species? Do we use the same literature? Can we trust any chironomid species identification if it is not documented, either through description, reference literature or reference material? - In my opinion the answers are “no”. We have all experienced that re-identification of a midge sometimes results in a species or spe- cies group different from the one the specimen originally was identified as. It could be our own original identification or it could be someone else’s. The fact that many Chironomidae species are difficult to identify perhaps makes us experience this more often in our group, I don’t know, but it is clearly a problem for static inventories and check-lists. Moreover, many if not most identifications made in faunistic and ecological studies are unrefer- enced in publications. Thus, there is no possibility for the reader to know what literature was used, if reference specimens were examined, or even if the material has been deposited in a publicly accessible collection. How can the reader know if the author(s) used the most recent and geo- graphically relevant taxonomic revisions and identification keys? It definitely makes a difference in the interpretation of a species identification (e.g. Tanytarsus mendax) if it is clear that the lat- est clarification of its taxonomy (Spies 1998) is used and not an older revision (Reiss & Fittkau 1971). So apart from giving credit where it belongs, citing the taxonomic literature is scientifi- cally important and should be as mandatory as any other methodological reference. The increased use of molecular markers in species identification, discovery and delineation (i.e. DNA barcoding) provides an additional set of objective characters for species in Chironomidae. The Barcode of Life Data Systems database (BOLD) currently holds almost 16 000 sequences of more than 1000 named species and offer a tool to unify the taxonomy and interpretation of chi- ronomid species world-wide. Through our work with DNA barcoding of Chironomidae in Trond- heim, we have discovered numerous cryptic species and molecular data has helped us understand species boundaries as well as phylogenetic relationships. There is no doubt that this is part of the future for chironomid taxonomy and thus also disciplines that rely on solid taxonomic founda- tions for identifications and analysis of species distributions and ecology. To avoid the creation of useless inventories and erroneous check-lists we should all be careful in how we use and document our identification procedures. It doesn’t matter if they are based on morphology or molecules. If the results are not made repeatable by proper description of the methods, it is not science. Therefore, cite your methods and references, and deposit your speci- mens in scientific collections! Torbjørn Ekrem Museum of Natural History and Archaeology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. E-mail: [email protected] References Reiss, F. and Fittkau, E.J. 1971. Taxonomie und Ökologie europäisch verbreiteter Tanytarsus-Arten (Chi- ronomidae, Diptera). - Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement: 40: 75-200. Spies, M. 1998. Resolution of Tanytarsus mendax Kieffer, 1925, T. dibranchius Kieffer in Zavrel, 1926, and associated names (Diptera: Chironomidae). - Studia dipterologica 5: 195-210. 3 DR. WILLIAM P. COFFMAN: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF RESEARCH ON CHIRONOMIDAE “Midges are an addiction. Can’t get through the His work has delved into methodologies and de- day without my midge fix.” WPC fining characters, through ecology and biogeo- graphy, taxonomy and evolution. His insights Bill Coffman’s addiction to midges has been a into the Chironomidae family species richness and revelation and an inspiration to his students and diversity, evolutionary patterns, extinction rates, colleagues for many years. His knowledge of the biogeographical puzzles and adaptation have been family, his uncanny ability to differentiate species profound and are likely to shape the directions in by the pupal exuviae, and his enthusiasm over the this field of research in the future. His collection range of wonders, from tiny structures to biogeo- of world-wide pupal exuviae is unparalleled and graphical patterns, is well known and respected. extensive, with over 1,000 undescribed species, From humble beginnings at Thiel College, Penns- many from the Neotropics. But perhaps his grea- ylvania (where he first met his wife of over 40 ye- test contribution so far is a family of scientists and ars), to a long and fruitful career at the University researchers that have been touched, bitten perhaps, of Pittsburgh, Bill Coffman exemplifies the focus by the “bug” of knowing and using this family to and the dedication that few scientists have for their resolve long-standing questions of evolution, bio- subjects. He trained with the best, including Dr. geography, taxonomy and conservation. John Stall at Thiel, Dr. Ken Cummins at Pitt and followed the steps of giants in the field through Bill Coffman’s collection, now housed at the La post-docs at a government laboratory in Baden- Selva Biological Station of the Organization for Wurttemberg, Germany. He also spent time at the Tropical Studies in Costa Rica, is the foundation Max Plank Institute in Plön, Germany, where na- for the development of species-level fine tools for mes such as Thienemann, Lenz and others adorn bioassessment and ecology, with practical applica- not only the halls of the institution but the taxono- tions to habitat valuation and conservation. His mic literature as well. He has been honored with undescribed species, keys and insights, captured in his own chironomid genus (Coffmania) and a spe- exquisitely prepared specimens (over 100,000 in cies (Robackia coffmanii), immortalizing his name the collection) and in his detailed notes, sketches for generations to come. and illustrations, will continue to train students in the fine points of chironomid taxonomy and ap- plications. His name will continue to appear in the chironomid literature for many years after he is gone. “Chironomids are like the bacteria of the aquatic systems” WPC Bill Coffman thought of chironomids as the bacte- ria of the aquatic systems, the most diverse, speci- es rich and ubiquitous organism in the wide range of aquatic habitats, from the Arctic Circle to the deep tropics. Midges occupy habitats unsuitable to most other