Kieffer, 1918
Body
Large larvae, 11 - 17 mm long. Living larvae orange to red. No lateral and ventral tubules. Procercus and anal tubules present (Wiederholm, 1983; Moller Pillot, 1984a).
Head
The head capsule is dull due to intensive fine granulation. Frontal apotome separate from clypeus and without a subapical pit Endoch frontoclypeus 8. Labral sclerite 2 present.
Head
Antenna
The antenna consists of 5 segments. The blade is shorter than the flagellum. Lauterborn organs distally on the second segment.
Mentum
The mentum has one Endoch tendens mentum or two median teeth Endoch albip mentum and 7 pairs of lateral teeth. The ventromental plates are not as wide as the mentum.
Labrum
SI is triangular and plumose on only one side. The labral lamellae form a plate with many apical teeth. The pecten epipharyngis in three groups of toothed plates. The premandible has three teeth.
Mandible
The mandible with a dorsal tooth, apical tooth dark and 3-4 inner teeth Endoch dispar mandible. The pecten mandibularis is present and seta interna with 4 toothed and plumose branches.
Differential characteristics
The separation of clypeus and frontal apotome Endoch frontoclypeus 8 is distinctive. Also combination of a mentum with 7 pairs of lateral teeth Endoch lepidus mentum9 and the dull headcapsule is unique in the Chironomini.
Diversity
European species: 6
Treated taxa:
Species-group Endochironomus gr. dispar
Endochironomus albipennis
Endochironomus lepidus
Endochironomus tendens