Psectrocladius Kieffer, 1906

Namayandeh, Armin, Hudson, Patrick L., Bogan, Daniel L. & Hudson, John P., 2024, Chironomidae (Diptera: Insecta) of Alaska, USA, with descriptions of new species and a checklist, Zootaxa 5511 (1), pp. 1-95 : 69-70

Psectrocladius Kieffer, 1906

This genus is divided into four subgenera, Allopsectrocladius Wülker, 1956, Mesopsectrocladius Laville, 1972 , Monopsectrocladius Wülker, 1956, and Psectrocladius Kieffer, 1906 based mainly on larval characteristics. Although the larvae are quite distinctive, separating larval stages in the sordidellus group and limbatellus group may not hold up.

Three of the subgenera of Psectrocladius occur in Alaska. We collected Psectrocladius (Allopsectrocladius) flavus (Johannsen, 1905) larvae in late July from a small stream in Juneau. This is a new faunistic record for Alaska. We collected Psectrocladius (Allopsectrocladius) obvius (Walker, 1856) larvae from a small stream near Lena Point near Juneau in late July and from Deadman Lake in the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge in early August. P. obvius was also reported by Butler et al. (1980) as Psectrocladius dilatatus (i.e., junior synonym) from tundra ponds. Tarkowska-Kukuryk & Mieczan (2014) found this species in peat bogs in Poland. We collected larva of P. ( Allopsectrocladius ) from uplift ponds associated with the Sheridan Glacier that are quite distinct from the known larvae of the subgenus.

We collected Psectrocladius (Monopsectrocladius) sp. larvae from Harriet Hunt Lake near Ketchikan, ten unnamed lakes in Southeast Alaska and four unnamed lakes on the Arctic Coastal Plain .

Alaskan species in the subgenus Psectrocladius include Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) fennicus Storå, 1939 based on molecular data collected from a muskeg habitat in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge ( Bowser et al. 2020). Our collection of Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) limbatellus (Holmgren, 1869) were adults from the Alaska / Yukon border and Yarger Lake near Northway in early August and from the delta area of the Yukon River in late to mid-July. Watson et al. (1966) reported this species from Ogotoruk Creek. There are numerous unknown larvae in P. limbatellus group collected from lakes on the Arctic Coastal Plain, a kettle pond in Denali National Park, and St. Matthew Island ( Arctos 2023). We also found two different larvae of this group, one from Lily Lake south of Haines and another from Harriet Hunt Lake on Revillagigedo Island. P. limbatellus larvae are reported from standing water ranging from pools to lakes ( Oliver & Dillon 1997). We collected adult males of Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) octomaculatus Wülker, 1956 from Mendenhall Lake in mid-August, and Thompson & Epler (2009) collected a damaged female which they thought might be this species from Attu Island. This a new faunistic record for Alaska. Butler et al. (1980) list at least two species in the Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) psilopterus group from tundra ponds, and specimens were also collected from the coastal lakes to the west of this site (AWQMS 2005). We have found larval specimens of this group from uplift ponds associated with the Sheridan Glacier. We collected Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) simulans (Johannsen, 1937) from the Little Mulchatna River west of Lake Clark National Park and the East Fork of the Moose River on the Kenai Peninsula. Bowser et al. (2020) reported this species from the Miller Creek Watershed on the Kenai Peninsula based on DNA barcode data. Thompson & Epler (2009) reported Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) sordidellus (Zetterstedt, 1838) based on male and female specimens collected on Attu Island in mid-June. Bowser et al. (2020) reported this species from the Miller Creek Watershed. The larvae of the P. sordidellus group are reported from streams and lakes along the Arctic Coastal Plain (AWQMS 2005) and Big Lake on St. Matthew Island ( Sikes et al. 2016). We collected the adults of Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) vernalis Malloch, 1915 near Twin Lakes, Juneau in early August, and larvae from the mouth of the Yukon River. These collections represent a new faunistic record for Alaska.