Cryptochironomus Kieffer

Saether, Ole A., 2009, Cryptochironomus Kieffer from Lake Winnipeg, Canada, with a review of Nearctic species (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 2208, pp. 1-24 : 3

Cryptochironomus Kieffer

As mentioned by Saether (1977a: 84) there are several problems of species separation and synonymies within the genus Cryptochironomus . The resolutions of a few of these are attempted below with the separation of some species of the C. fulvus -agglomerate and the description of some immatures. However, a thorough comparison between Nearctic and Palaearctic material is necessary to resolve most of the remaining problems.

Saether (1977a: 87) mentions that several species of the Cryptochironomus fulvus agglomerate until now have not been separable as imagines. However, their pupae are quite distinct. One new species and a variety, which may be an additional species, are described below. In addition, drawings of Cryptochironomus ponderosus (Sublette) and a pupa of C. eminentia Mason are given. Sublette (1964: 131) redefines C. fulvus (Johannsen) and takes Chironomus sp. C of Malloch (1915: 529) to represent the pupa. However, Sublette (1964:132) states that the frontal tubercles in all his material are distinct while Townes (1945:99) states that the frontal tubercles are absent or perhaps sometimes present and very small. As it will appear from the key to male imagines, the frontal tubercles are a specific character usually, and Townes' material must have contained more than one species. It is quite likely that one or two species will fall as a synonym of Cryptochironomus mallochi ( Kieffer) (Kieffer 1919: 191) , new name for C. abbreviatus ( Malloch) (Malloch 1915: 451) or Cryptochironomus parvilamellatus ( Malloch) (Malloch 1915: 479) .