Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Diptera, Croatia, May 2008

Posted by Xespok on 03-06-2008 14:08
#1

Anyone has any idea on the family? This creature surely looks strange. Should be a Nematoceran. The closest I get is Chironomidae, but it does not look like one. Photographed on the mediterranean sea shore.

Edited by Xespok on 03-06-2008 14:11

Posted by Paul Beuk on 03-06-2008 14:36
#2

First impression: Chironomidae.

Posted by Tony Irwin on 03-06-2008 20:03
#3

Chironomidae - most of the marine species tend to look a bit odd.

Posted by Xespok on 03-06-2008 22:22
#4

Tony, can you suggest genera that live in salty habitats? Is this restricted to one subfamily?

Posted by Tony Irwin on 04-06-2008 20:04
#5

I only know about the British chrionomids (and then not very much! :D)
In the Orthocladiinae the genera Clunio, Halocladius and Thalassosmittia are marine and in the Telmatogetoninae Telmatogeton and Thalassomya are marine. Your picture is not Clunio, which is a very aberrant species, but I couldn't say what it is at present, particularly as there may be other marine genera present in the Mediterranean. All of the genera above (with the exception of Telmatogeton) appear to occur in Croatia.

Edited by Tony Irwin on 04-06-2008 20:04