Keyl, 1961
Body
Living larvae are red. Four ventral tubules on the 11th abdominal segment Chir 4 ventral tubules. Procercus and anal tubules present (Wiederholm, 1983; Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002)
Head
The frontal apotome with a dark band constricted medially Chir. abbar clyp and a dark gula Gula dark (Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002)
Antenna
The antenna consists of 5 segments, the first segment 99 - 109 µm long (Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002). The blade is not longer than the flagellum. Lauterborn organs distally on the second segment.
Mentum
The mentum has three median teeth and 6 pairs of lateral teeth with mentum type 2 Mentum type 2 pict or 3 Mentum type 3 pict. The ventromental plates are wider than the mentum
Labrum
SI is plumose and labral lamellae are normal.
Mandible
The mandible with a pale dorsal tooth, apical tooth dark and 3 inner teeth of type 1 Chiron mand l or 2 Chiron mand ll. The pecten mandibularis is present and seta interna with 4 toothed and plumose branches.
Differential characteristics
Chironomus is the only genus with 2 pairs of tubules on the 11th segment Chir 4 ventral tubules. Some species lack the ventral tubules (C. salinarius Chir no tubules, C, nudiventris and C. agilis). C. salinarius occurs only in brackish and salt water. The latter two species have a pair of lateral setae on segment 10 Chir 2 lateral tubules. These two species can be separated from Einfeldia pagana by the absence of a pit on the frontal apotome.
C. aberratus can be separated from all other Chironomus by:
Two pairs of ventral tubules on the 11 segment and no tubules on the 10th abdominal segment.
The frontal apotome with a dark band constricted medially Chir. abbar clyp.