Life History of the Chironomidae

Oliver, D. R.

doi:10.1146/annurev.en.16.010171.001235

Cited by 424 publications

(334 citation statements)

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“…Some authors studied the influence of food availability or food quality on the growth and size of chironomid larvae but found the water temperature to be the limiting factor (Bouchard & Ferrington, 2009;Hannesdottir et al, 2012). However, there are studies underlining the importance of nutrient availability or food quality on the benthic larval size and growth (Oliver, 1971;Mackey, 1977;Menzie, 1981;Davis et al, 2010). Tronstad et al (2010) report on growth rates of chironomid larvae in natural streams and their dependency on the available nutrients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unexpected patterns of chironomid larval size in an extreme environment: a highly glaciated, alpine stream

Schütz

Füreder

2018

Hydrobiologia

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In this article, we report on the development and growth of alpine chironomid species in a highly glaciated headwater, using biometrical analyses. Glacially influenced alpine streams are characterized by year-round harsh environmental conditions. Only a few, highly adapted benthic insects, mainly chironomid larvae (genus Diamesa) live in these extreme conditions. Although several studies have shown patterns in ecosystem structure and function in alpine streams, cause-effect relationships of abiotic components on aquatic insects' life strategies are still unknown. Sampling was performed at Schlatenbach, a river draining the Schlatenkees (Hohe Tauern NP, Austria), at three sites and on six occasions from August to October 2015. Semi-quantitatively sampled Diamesa cinerella (Meigen 1835) and Diamesa steinboecki (Goetghebuer 1933) larvae were biometrically analysed, and they showed differences in larval size and biovolume with higher values close to the glacier.Considering the decreasing water temperatures but increasing benthic organic matter towards the glacier, food availability seems to play a crucial role for larval size in highly glaciated alpine headwaters. This is the first study to show that harsh conditions in these environments (low temperatures, high turbidity and flow dynamics) may exclude many taxa, but favour other, highly adapted species, when their essential needs (food quality and quantity) are guaranteed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unexpected patterns of chironomid larval size in an extreme environment: a highly glaciated, alpine stream

Schütz

Füreder

2018

Hydrobiologia

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“…One group in which lack of support for the new arms race predictions is particularly clear is the family of non-biting midges, Chironomidae. Natural history and behaviour data have been summarized by Thienemann (1954) and Oliver (1971) for this large family of > 5000 species [there are more than 400 species in Britain (Pinder, 1978), and up to several hundred species in a single stream in Costa Rica •C. De La Rosa, personal communication].…”

Section: {B) Analyses At Higher Taxonomic Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Males in swarms are attracted only at close range to the flight sound of females. Copulation is initiated without apparent preliminaries only when the female enters the swarm, and generally lasts only a few seconds (Syrjämäki 1965(Syrjämäki , 1966Hilsenhoflf, 1966;Downes, 1969;Oliver, 1971;Paasivirta, 1972;Downe & Caspary, 1973;Neems, Lazarus & Mclachlan, 1992), or at most a few minutes (Gibson, 1945;Syrjämäki, 1966). The pair typically drops or flies away from the swarm (Edwards, 1929;Gibson, 1945;Syrjämäki, 1965Syrjämäki, , 1966Syrjämäki, , 1968Hilsenhoflf, 1966;Young, 1969;Neems et ah, 1992).…”

Section: {B) Analyses At Higher Taxonomic Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male–female conflict and genitalia: failure to confirm predictions in insects and spiders

Eberhard¹

2004

Biological Reviews

117

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Some recent models suggest a new role for evolutionary arms races between males and females in sexual selection. Female resistance to males is proposed to be driven by the direct advantage to the female of avoiding maleimposed reductions in the number of offspring she can produce, rather than by the indirect advantage of selecting among possible sires for her offspring, as in some traditional models of sexual selection by female choice. This article uses the massive but hitherto under-utilized taxonomic literature on genitalic evolution to test, in a twostep process, whether such new models of arms races between males and females have been responsible for rapid divergent evolution of male genitalia. The test revolves around the prediction that 'new arms races' are less likely to occur in species in which females are largely or completely protected from unwanted sexual attentions from males (e.g. species which mate in leks or in male swarms, in which males attract females from a distance, or in which females initiate contact by attracting males from a distance).The multiple possible mechanical functions of male genitalia are summarized, and functions of male genitalic structures in 43 species in 21 families of Diptera are compiled. Functions associated with intromission and insemination (e.g. seizing and positioning the female appropriately, pushing past possible barriers within the female, orienting within the female to achieve sperm transfer), which are unlikely to be involved in new arms races when females are protected, are shown to be common ( > 50 % of documented cases). This information is then used to generate the new arms race prediction: differences in genitalic form among congeneric species in which females are protected should be less common than differences among congeneric species in which females are vulnerable to harassment by males. This prediction was tested using a sample of 361 genera of insects and spiders. The prediction clearly failed, even when the data were adjusted to take into account several possible biases. Comparative analyses within particular taxonomic groups also failed to show the predicted trends, as did less extensive data on other non-genitalic male display traits. Arms races, as defined in some recent models, seem to have been less important in male•female coevolution of genitalic structures than has been suggested. By elimination, alternative interpretations, such as traditional female choice, which do not predict associations between female protection from harassment and rapid divergent evolution, are strengthened.

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“…The Chironomidae (Diptera) family occurs in all zoogeographical regions of the world and is frequently the most abundant group of insects in fresh or brackish water (Oliver 1971;Pinder 1986;Ashe et al 1987). The immature stages of some species can live even in extremes of temperature, pH, salinity, depth, current velocity, and productivity.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, two taxonomic schemes have been developed simultaneously, with generic limits being frequently much narrower for immatures than for adults. In recent years, some attempts have been carried out to reconcile the two systems (Oliver 1971;Pinder 1983).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

New records of Chironomus Meigen (Diptera, Chironomidae) in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Correia¹,

Trivinho‐Strixino²

2005

Rev. Bras. entomol.

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Life History of the Chironomidae

Cited by 424 publications

References 29 publications

Unexpected patterns of chironomid larval size in an extreme environment: a highly glaciated, alpine stream

Unexpected patterns of chironomid larval size in an extreme environment: a highly glaciated, alpine stream

Male–female conflict and genitalia: failure to confirm predictions in insects and spiders

New records of Chironomus Meigen (Diptera, Chironomidae) in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

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