Smittia Holmgren, 1869

Chamutiová, Tímea, Hamerlík, Ladislav & Bitušík, Peter, 2020, Subfossil chironomids (Diptera, Chironomidae) of lakes in the Tatra Mountains an illustrated guide, Zootaxa 4819 (2), pp. 216-264 : 243-244

Smittia Holmgren / Parasmittia Strenzke ( Figs 64, 65 )

Head capsule yellow to brownish, occipital margin pale or darkened. Antenna reduced, with 4 segments. Blade well developed and as long as flagellum ( Smittia , Fig. 65A ) or considerably longer ( Parasmittia ). Premadible with 2 apical teeth and 1 variably developed inner tooth. Mandible with 3 inner teeth and short apical tooth. Mentum with one broad median tooth with projecting nipple (may be domed in Smittia ) and 5 pairs of subequal lateral teeth. Ventromental plates well developed, not extending outermost teeth.

Remarks: Smittia and Parasmittia are indistinguishable in specimens with missing antennae.

In the Tatras, only Smittia edwardsi Goetghebuer, 1932 was determined based on adults ( Bitušík 2004).

Remains of Smittia / Parasmittia were recorded infrequently in the studied lakes. As mentioned above (see Limnophyes / Paralimnophyes ), presence of subfossils of semiterrestrial/ terrestrial taxa such as Smittia / Parasmittia could have indicative value in the reconstruction of water-level oscillation.

Figures

FIGURES 60–65. Psectrocladius (Mesopsectrocladius) barbatipes-type: 60—head capsule. Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) psilopterus-type: 61—head capsule, A—detail of mandible. Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) sordidellus-type: 62—head capsule. Pseudosmittia: 63—head capsule. Smittia/Parasmittia: 64—head capsule. Smittia/Parasmittia: 65—mentum, A—Smittia antenna (a—basal segment, b—flagellum, c—blade).