Fabricius, 1805
Body
Living larvae are red. Four ventral tubules on the 11th abdominal segment of equal length and 1 pair of lateral tubules on segment 10. Procercus and anal tubules present (Wiederholm, 1983; Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002).
Head
Width 740 - 1000 µm. The frontal apotome is dark (Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002).
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 is of type 1 Mentum type 1 pict with three median teeth and 6 pairs of lateral teeth. Ventromental plates with 43 - 57 striae and 17 - 37 outer hooks (Vallenduuk and Moller Pillot, 2002).
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 inmost light (type 1) Chiron mand l. 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. tentans can be separated from all other Chironomus by:
Two pairs of ventral tubules on segment 11 and 1 pair of tubules on segment 10.
Frontoclypeus brown and head width > 700 µm.