Genus Cricotopus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Identification · Habitat · Internet References · Works Cited

Yellow and black midge - Cricotopus - female

very tiny yellow/black - Cricotopus - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))

Infraorder Culicomorpha (Mosquitoes and Midges)

Family Chironomidae (Non-biting Midges)

Subfamily Orthocladiinae

Genus Cricotopus

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Cricotopus van der Wulp 1874

Numbers

Nearctica lists 63 species.

Identification

Within Orthocladiinae light bands on the first front tarsal segment and the abdomen point to Cricotopus. The reverse is not true -- some species of Cricotopus are not banded and need to be identified by less obvious characters.

Larvae are nearly indistinguishable from Orthocladius (Orthocladius); despite the differences in adult color the genera are closely related.

Habitat

"Larvae are found in a variety of aquatic habitats, where they are often associated with plants. C. (Isocladius) species tend to be more common in lentic conditions; C. (Cricotopus) species are more common in lotic situations; C. (Nostococladius) is associated with the blue-green alga Nostoc. Some Cricotopus larvae may be economically important as pests in rice fields (members of the C. (I.) sylvestris group) and as biocontrol agents for nuisance aquatic plants (C. (I.) lebetis for hydrilla). Cricotopus bicinctus and C. infuscatus are tolerant of many types of water pollution."(1)

Internet References

Florida University

A key to the Cricotopus species of the Northeast USA is available online, but is not reliable in separating some closely related species.

Works Cited

1.	Identification Manual for the Larval Chironomidae (Diptera) of North and South Carolina

Contributed by tom murray on 21 November, 2005 - 5:43pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Vox Sciurorum
Last updated 13 April, 2011 - 9:36am

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