Container-inhabiting Monopelopia larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) newly recorded in New Zealand

Abstract

Worldwide, Monopelopia larvae have been found to inhabit small, boggy and often acid waters including phytotelmata, billabongs, and dystrophic lakes, pools and streams. Although Tanypodinae larvae have previously been associated with phytotelmata in Auckland and Wellington, until now Monopelopia has not been reported from New Zealand. Larvae of an undescribed chironomid species belonging to the genus Monopelopia (Tanypodinae: Pentaneurini) were the most abundant insects colonising artificial waterfi lled tree-hole containers attached to red beech trees in Orikaka Ecological Area, north Westland, New Zealand. Here we describe the final-instar larva and comment on the larval diet as indicated by gut contents. In the absence of pupae and adults, larvae were attributed to Monopelopia based on the arrangement of their cephalic setae and ventral sensory pit. Gut contents of 185 final-instar larvae contained sooty mould fungi, fine detritus and animal prey items including small conspecific larvae.