Description
Adult ''Chironomus'' are midges with the Prothorax, pronotum widest in the middle and bearing a notch, the head usually bearing a pair of small tubercles above the Antenna (biology), antennal bases, the antennal flagellum of males having 11 segments, and the male genitalia has inferior volsella large and larger than superior volsella. They range from 5 to 13 mm in length. Larva, Larvae are red and usually have tubes on the side or bottom of the eighth abdominal segment. These features are not unique to ''Chironomus'', also being found in some related genera. Adult males can be distinguished from females by their feather-like antennae.Behaviour
When at rest, adults often raise their front legs and vibrate them. This is the source of the genus name, which is derived from "cheironomos" (Greek for "one who moves the hands").Habitat
Larvae of ''Chironomus'' usually live in aquatic sediment. Those of the ''C. decorus'' group, ''C. riparius'' group and ''C. stigmaterus'' generally live in conditions of high nutrients and low oxygen. There are also ''Chironomus'' that live in relatively clean water. The larvae of several species inhabit the profundal zone where they can reach relatively high densities. They use a combination of hemoglobin-like proteins and undulatory movements in their burrows to obtain oxygen in poorly oxygenated habitats.See also
* List of Chironomus speciesGallery
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2704714 Chironomidae Nematocera genera