Procladius Skuse, 1889

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 : 46

Procladius Skuse, 1889

This genus is the most speciose of the Tanypodinae in Alaska, with eleven species. Most records of the species in this genus come from the Northern bioregion, either described as new species or found in the state by Roback (1971). We found Procladius (Psilotanypus) bellus (Loew, 1866) pupae in a drift sample collected in early July 2016 in a distributary of the Yukon River delta. This is a new faunistic record for Alaska. Adults of Procladius (Holotanypus) desis Roback, 1971 were described as a new species from material collected from Umiat in late June and early July and from Fairbanks in early June ( Roback 1971). The first record of Procladius (Holotanypus) denticulatus Sublette, 1964 is based on all life stages collected in mid-July and early August ( Roback 1984). We have collected males from Auke Lake in mid-August ( Fig. 9G ). Roback (1971) described Procladius (Holotanypus) dentus adults from Nome in early June and Procladius (Holotanypus) jeris from Umiat in late July. Our record of Procladius (Holotanypus) freemani Sublette, 1964 , was based on an adult from the Alaska / Yukon border at Highway 2. Roback (1980) described male pupa of Procladius (Procladius) cf. paragretis Roback, 1971 , now in subgenus Holotanypus , and all life stages of Procladius (Holotanypus) prologatus Roback, 1971 from tundra ponds near Utqiagvik. Hershey (1985) reported a male of Procladius (Holotanypus) sublettei var. grandis Roback, 1971 from Toolik Lake in mid-July. Roback (1980) reported all life stages of Procladius (Holotanypus) vesus Roback, 1971 from tundra ponds near Utqiagvik, while Hershey (1985) reported specimens near P. vesus from Toolik Lake. Roback (1980) also reported a reared female of a Procladius species, which he named Procladius sp. 6 C from Utqiagvik. This female was quite distinguishable from other Procladius species he found in Utqiagvik. Watson et al. (1966) identified a specimen of Procladius nr. suecicus Brudin, 1949 which we didn’t list since it could have been any of the new species described by Roback after 1966. The larvae of species in Procladius are typically found in soft sediments of ponds or lakes.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Some of the study’s collection sites and habitats of Chironomidae in Alaska. A. Turner Lake, near Juneau. B. Bartlett River in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. C. Alaska, USA and Yukon Territory, Canada international boundary. D. Auke Lake outlet in Juneau. E. Rachael Lake near Bettles. F. Spike Creek on Revillagigedo Island. G. Auke Lake in Juneau. H. Hebert River near Juneau. I. Nugget Falls, in Juneau. J. Forested bog near Eagle crest Ski Area, Douglas Isand. K. Creek outlet at Margaret Bay on Revillagigedo Island. L. Mount Roberts (foreground) in Juneau. M. A snow-melt stream (arrows) on Thunder Mountain, Juneau. N. Tangle River near Paxon. O. Kanuti Lake outlet in Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge. P. Fish Creek on Douglas Island. Q. Antler River near Juneau. R. Harbor Mountain, Sitka. S. Observing Thalassosmittia marina (Saunders, 1928) larvae in intertidal rock pools near Lena Point, Juneau. T. Larvae of T. marina (arrows) inhabiting a rock pool in the upper tidal zone and feeding on periphytic algae near Lena Point, Juneau. U.A tundra lake east of King Salmon. V. Swarm of Corynocera oliveri group adults on a tundra lake east of King Salmon.