Xylochironomus Cranston, 2006

Liu, Shutang & Tang, Hongqu, 2025, Xylochironomus Cranston newly recorded in the Oriental region (Diptera, Chironomidae), with description of three new species, ZooKeys 1257, pp. 127-135 : 127-135

Genus Xylochironomus Cranston, 2006

Type species.

Xylochironomus kakadu Cranston, 2006 .

Diagnosis.

The specimens examined conform in most diagnostic features to the generic description of the adult male ( Cranston 2006). Based on the material described below, the generic diagnosis for Xylochironomus should be emended as follows.

Adult male.

Frontal tubercles small, reduced. Acrostichals biserial, starting from the anterior scutum. Parapsidal suture thick (Fig. 2 A ). Scutal hump with a weak hump, very low. Wing cuneiform and setose, anal lobe clearly reduced, apex of wing somewhat rectangular, with an interrupted costal extension (Fig. 1 A – C ). Squama bare or with fewer than 3 setae. Mid and hind tibiae with 2 separated combs, only the outer comb with a long-curved spur, the length ratio of ta 4 / ta 5 in the fore and hind leg usually no less than 2.0. Segment VIII tapered anteriorly (Fig. 1 D ) or indistinct in some teneral form. Insertion of lateral seta of superior volsella arising basal-dorsally or from basal margin; outer seta usually much longer than the length of the superior volsella. Inner margin setae of gonostylus short and sparse, unequal-distance or irregular. Anal tergite band separated, anal median seta tends to be uniserial if less than 6 setae, no tendency to be enclosed by a round and sclerotized anal tergite circle.

Adult female, pupa and larva.

See Cranston (2006).

Figures

Figure 1. Color photos of wing apex (A – C, arrows indicate the costa disjunction), abdominal terminal (D, arrow indicates the constricted anterior TVIII) and male genitalia (E – G). A, E. X. meng sp. nov.; B, D, F. X. mulu sp. nov.; C, G. X. yue sp. nov. Scale bars: 200 µm (A – C); 100 µm (D – G).

Figure 2. Color photos of Xylochironomus thorax (A) and line drawings of genitalia (B – D). A, B. X. meng sp. nov., arrow indicates the thick parapsidal suture; C. X. mulu sp. nov.; D. X. yue sp. nov. Scale bars: 100 µm (A); 50 µm (B – D).