Ryser, Scholl and Wuelker, 1983
Body
Medium sized to large larvae. Living larvae are red. One pair of lateral tubules on the 10th abdominal segment. No tubules on the 11th abdominal segment. Procercus and anal tubules present (Wiederholm, 1983; Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002).
Head
Antenna
The antenna consists of 5 segments. 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. The ventromental plates are wider than the mentum Mentum type 1 pict.
Labrum
SI is plumose and labral lamellae are normal. The pecten epipharyngis is single with about 15-30 teeth Chironomus pecten epiph.
Mandible
The mandible with a pale dorsal tooth, apical tooth dark and 3 inner teeth Chiron mand lll9. 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. nudiventris can be separated from all other Chironomus by the lack of tubules on 11th segment, one lateral pair of tubules on the 10th segment and basal sclerite of the maxilla bordered by granulate marks C. nudiv max instead of an undulated line C agilis max.