''Litocladius'' is a genus of
chironomid midges
A midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non-mosquito Nematoceran Diptera. Midges are found (seasonally or otherwise) on practically every land area outside permanently arid deserts and the frigid zones. Some midg ...
that belongs to the subfamily
Orthocladiinae
Orthocladiinae is a subfamily of midges in the non-biting midge family (biology), family (Chironomidae). For lack of a better common name, they are simply referred to as orthoclads.
Genera
*''Aagaardia'' Ole A. Sæther, Sæther, 1985
*''Abisk ...
and is composed of three species, ''Litocladius confusus'' Mendes et Andersen (2008), ''Litocladius mateusi'' Mendes, Andersen & Sæther (2004), and ''Litocladius floripa'' Mendes et Andersen (2008) all described from
Brazil only. Male, female, and
pupa of the type species (''Litocladius mateusi'') are described, the remaining two species are known only from the male adults. This species are known from the Atlantic Forest, along the Brazilian coastline.
The types/
biological type
In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...
of the only known species are housed in São Paulo, Brazil and Bergen, Norway.
The
etymology of the genus is from the Greek "litos", meaning plain, simple, referring to the reduced pupa and the shape of the
inferior volsella; "cladius" stands as a common ending among
Orthocladiinae
Orthocladiinae is a subfamily of midges in the non-biting midge family (biology), family (Chironomidae). For lack of a better common name, they are simply referred to as orthoclads.
Genera
*''Aagaardia'' Ole A. Sæther, Sæther, 1985
*''Abisk ...
.
The only pupa recorded was found living among mosses on tree trunks; no data on the
larvae are available so far.
References
*Mendes, H.F., Andersen, T. & Sæther, O.A. (2004) A review of ''Antillocladius'' Sæther, 1981; ''Compterosmittia'' Sæther, 1981 and ''Litocladius'' new genus (Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae). Zootaxa 594, 1–82.
*Mendes, H.F. & Andersen, T. (2008) A review of ''Antillocladius'' Sæther, 1981 and ''Litocladius'' Mendes, Andersen et Sæther, with the description of two new Neotropical genera (Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae). Zootaxa 1887, 1–75.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6648647
Chironomidae