Van der Wulp, 1874
Body
Medium sized larvae up to 10 mm long. The anterior parapods are separate. The two posterior parapods bear rows of claws. Procercus and two pairs of anal tubules are present. On the abdominal segments the L4 may be a long Cric (I) sylv body seta or short tuft of hairs Cric (C) 14 or rarely a simpel seta (in C. tremulus en C. lygropus) Hirvenoja, 1973; Wiederholm, 1983; Moller Pillot, 1984b).
Head
Antenna
The antenna consists of five segments (rarely four). Antenna with a normal length Cric ornatus antenna (very short in C. brevipalpis and C. gr. obnixus Cric gr obnixus antenna (Moller Pillot, 1984b)). The blade is shorter than the flagellum. Lauterborn organs are usually distinct.
Mentum
The mentum has one median tooth and usually 6 pairs of lateral teeth (5 in C. trifascia). The second lateral tooth may be reduced in Cricotopus subgenus Isocladius Cric sylvestris agg mentum. The ventromental plates are weak and the beard is absent.
Labrum
The pecten epipharyngis consists of three scales in Cricotopus s. str. Cric (Cric) pecten epyphary or a single scale in Isocladius Cric (Iso) pecten epiphary. SI is usually bifid (simpel in C. brevipalpis en C. gr. obnixus s. Moller Pillot (1984b)). The premandible has one apical tooth (2 teeth in C. gr. fuscus and C gr. tibialis (Hirvenoja, 1973).
Mandible
The mandible with an apical tooth and 3 inner teeth. The seta interna is rarely absent (C. brevipalpis). Sometimes the inner side is serrate (C. bicinctus Cric bicinctus mandible9).
Differential characteristics
The setal tufts of L4 Cric (C) 14 Cric (I) sylv body seta on the abdominal segments are distinctive for Cricotopus (and Orthocladius holsatus). C. tremulus and C. lygropus have no setal tufts however.
Diversity
European species: 55
Treated taxa:
Species-group Cricotopus gr. cylindraceus
Species-group Cricotopus fuscus agg.
Species-group Cricotopus intersectus agg.
Species-group Cricotopus gr. obnixus
Species-group Cricotopus sylvestris agg.
Species-group Cricotopus gr. tibialis
Species-group Cricotopus triannulatus agg.
Species-group Cricotopus trifasciatus agg.
Cricotopus algarum
Cricotopus bicinctus
Cricotopus brevipalpis
Cricotopus laetus
Cricotopus laricomalis
Cricotopus lygropis
Cricotopus ornatus
Cricotopus tremulus
Cricotopus trifascia
Cricotopus vierriensis