Chironomidae (Diptera) of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, I: systematics and ecology

Authors

James E. Sublette, Tucson, Arizona
Lawrence E. Stevens, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, Arizona
Joseph P. Shannon, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona

Abstract

We describe the chironomid midge fauna of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead, Arizona. This depauperate fauna, consisting of 38 species, is dominated by euryecious Nearctic or Holarctic orthocladine taxa. In addition, a small Neotropical faunal component is represented by Polypedilum obelos Sublette & Sasa and Rheotanytarsus hamatus Sublette & Sasa.

The following new synonyms are given: Protenthes riparius Malloch 1915 with Tanypus bellus Loew 1866 [= Procladius (Psilotanypus) bellus (Loew)]; Cricotopus olivetus Boesel 1983 with Cricotopus (Circotopus) annulator (Goetghebuer) 1927; Cricotopus edurus Sublette & Sublette 1971 with Orthocladius infuscatus Malloch 1915 [= Cricotopus (Cricotopus) infuscatus (Malloch)]. The following new species are described: Cricotopus (Cricotopus) blinni Sublette, Cricotopus (Cricotopus) hermanni Sublette, Metriocnemus stevensi Sublette, and Cladotanytarsus marki Sublette. We discuss the distribution and ecology of each chironomid species in this large, regulated, aridlands river.

Recommended Citation

Sublette, James E.; Stevens, Lawrence E.; and Shannon, Joseph P. (1998) "Chironomidae (Diptera) of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, I: systematics and ecology," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 58: No. 2, Article 1.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol58/iss2/1