Peter Cranston

Australian National University | ANU · Division of Evolution and Genetics

Book Review, NOT the Encyclopedia. Researchgate does not handle book reviews correctly after a decade of requests !

Maritime chironomid midges (Diptera) are diverse, yet these 'pearls of the ocean' are little known. Emphasizing Pacific Ocean taxa, we used six genetic markers (18S, 28S, CAD1, CAD4, FolCOI and COI) and fossil calibrations to produce Bayesian time-calibrated phylogenies to date eight independent marine transitions in three subfamilies. Deep nodes i...

Molecular data support two distinct species of Nilotanypus Kieffer (Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) in Australia, able to be differentiated on morphology in all stages. These are described as Nilotanypus haplo¬chelus new species and Nilotanypus ctenochelus new species respectively. Morphological differentiation is clearer in the larva and pupa, with the...

The midge Changania choui Tseng, 1965 (Insecta, Diptera, Nematocera), originally described in the family Cecidomyiidae and recently transferred to the Ceratopogonidae, is recognised as an adult female in the Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. The type material is missing, and the published description and illustrations are limited. Although th...

The non-biting midge subfamily Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) is species-rich, ecologically diverse, and near-globally distributed. Within the subfamily, aspects of generic and species-level taxonomy remain poorly understood, in particular the validity of assignment of Australian and New Zealand taxa to genera erected for northern hemisphere (...

These are the final proofs (pre-production, used to set print from) of all chapters and tables and illustrations from edition 5 (the most recent and last). Pagination seems to match the print. Regular search should find what you want. These proofs will be available through Researchgate (Peter S Cranston) until coronacrisis abates and more regular...

A memoriam to L.C.V. :Pinder

The Chironomidae subfamily Tanypodinae in Australia is subject to continuing study in a global context and contains a mix of endemic and widespread genera. The monophyletic, globally diverse genus Larsia Fittkau has been sampled extensively in all life stages throughout Australia, and from the northern hemisphere and South America. Molecular eviden...

Here we provide evidence for the presence of non-biting midges of the subfamily Chironominae in the Mesozoic, based on descriptions of exceptionally rare amber inclusions. The subfamily has already been reported, but based on a single and unspecified record from Late Cretaceous Taimyr amber (~84 Mya). That record is here revised and confirmed. More...

A recently described genus of Chironomini, Yaethauma, is newly associated with a pupa that resembles those in Polypedilum subgenus Cerobregma. We derived molecular evidence from six concatenated markers from five loci (18S, 28S, CAD1, CAD4, COI-5P,-3P) of Yaethauma longiligulatum, six species of Polypedilum (Cerobregma), ingroup Polypedilum (repres...

Riethia Kieffer, a genus of the non-biting midge subfamily Chironominae (Diptera: Chironomidae) is distributed in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and South America. This austral distribution could be due to earth history (vicariance) or from Southern Hemisphere dispersal(s). We obtained samples from each area, most intensively from throughout...

Polypedilum johannseni Sublette & Sublette (= Chironomus (Polypedilum) anticus Johannsen), described from Indonesia, is recorded from Australia, where larvae are newly reported to feed on species of the aquatic fern Azolla Lam. (Salviniaceae). We extend the Australian distribution for the species that was reported previously as Polypedilum 'nr seor...

Identification keys are provided for the final (4th) instar larvae of genera of Chironomidae (Diptera), from aquatic habitats in Australia and New Zealand. Morphological features of taxonomic utility are discussed and illustrated by line drawings. Summaries of described species for each genus and their distribution is provided, with reference to me...

The newly discovered larva and previously unassociated pupa of Xiaomyia Saether & Wang, a distinctive outlier in the subfamily Chironomidae, allows description, illustration and comparison with its proposed closest relative, Shangomyia Saether & Wang. A previously described bizarre pupal exuviae, 'Taxon 2' sensu Coffman et al. (1988) from south Ind...

The previously unknown larva of the genus Nandeva Wiedenbrug, Reiss and Fittkau (Chironomidae: Chironominae) is suggested to be a candidate from tropical northern Australia belonging to the tribe Tanytarsini. The basis for the assumption is DNA analysis showing maximum values of Bayesian posterior probability and Bootstrap support for an exclusive...

Riethia Kieffer, known previously from New Zealand for a species stated to be also in Australia plus several Australian and South American species, is revised for the Austro-Pacific region. The three previously-described Australian species Riethia stictoptera Kieffer (the genotype), Riethia cinctipes Freeman and Riethia plumosa Freeman are distinct...

This special issue provides an overview of recent advances in the study of chironomids (Diptera chironomidae), as an outcome of the 20th International Symposium on Chironomidae held in Trento (Italy), in July 2017. it includes 27 selected papers, representative of the six topics of the symposium: genetics and cytogenetics, taxonomy and systematics,...

Kribiodorum Kieffer, an otherwise North American and African genus of Chironomini (Diptera: Chironomidae), extends to the Oriental region through two new species. An adult male and female of Kribiodorum malicky sp. n. is newly described from Thailand, and from Brunei (Borneo) a pharate male and the pupa of Kribiodorum belalong sp. n. is described....

Skusella Freeman, 1961 (Diptera: Chironomidae, Chironominae), known previously from adults from Australia and Africa, is revised with extended descriptions, including for immature life stages. Skusella is diagnosed based on its type species S. subvittata (Skuse, 1889) from Australia, S. pallidipes (Kieffer, 1921) from the Afrotropical region (the o...

Culicomorpha is a particularly species-rich clade within Diptera (true flies) that comprises c. 10% of the described diversity, including many medically important flies. Morphological studies – even when all life stages are included – yield relationships different from those derived from molecular data, notably with regard to the position of Chiron...

The male, female and pupa of Nilodosis austrosinensis Tang & Cranston, sp. n., reared from 2 reservoirs of south China, are described. The male can be separated from congeners by the presence of few squamal setae, a relatively long spur on the mid– and hind legs, a characteristic superior volsella and distinctive pattern of all legs. The female can...

Much Australasian biodiversity, lacking the decimating effects of the predominantly northern-hemisphere Pleistocene glaciations, remains intact from a much deeper geological history. This chapter presents some highlights of Australasian insect biodiversity. Selections from Australian insect biodiversity are harvested by Aboriginal Australians. The...

For over 25 years an undescribed Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) has been known to dominate the lotic invertebrate assemblage associated with long-term polluting mine adits in Captains Flat, on the Molonglo River, southern New South Wales, Australia. Although known in all life stages, it has been impossible to allocate the species to any descri...

The immature stages are described for the first time for Chironomus (Xenochironomus) australiensis Freeman (Diptera: Chironomidae) and the adult male is redescribed including from type specimens. The species does not belong to Chirono-mus Meigen or Xenochironomus Kieffer, but is best placed in a modestly expanded Einfeldia Kieffer. Application of t...

The presence of the Afro-Australian genus Conochironomus Freeman, 1961 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Asia has been recognised only informally. An unpublished thesis included Conochironomus from Singapore, and the genus has been keyed from Malaysia without named species. Here, the Sumatran Conochironomus tobaterdecimus (Kikuchi & Sasa, 1980) comb. n. i...

Polypedilum nubifer (Skuse, 1889), originally described from Australia, is an apparently widespread species of Chirono-midae (Diptera) that can attain nuisance densities in some eutrophic water bodies. Appropriate management depends upon the identity and ability to distinguish from potential cryptic taxa. A morphological study of larvae, pupae and...

A dated molecular phylogeny is proposed for the Tanypodinae, a diverse subfamily of Chironomidae (Diptera). We used molecular data from fragments of one ribosomal gene (28S), one nuclear protein-coding gene (CAD), and one mitochondrial protein-coding gene (COI), analysed using mixed model Bayesian and maximum likelihood inference methods. All propo...

The order Diptera, the 'true' or two-winged flies, is among the most speciose insect orders, containing nearly 160,000 described species globally. At least 30 families occur primarily or exclusively in aquatic habitats, including familiar groups such as black flies, midges, mosquitoes, and horse flies. Their diversity in species richness, structure...

Our attention has been drawn to lapsi and errors in a recent publication in this journal concerning Cricotopus Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae) (Drayson et al., 2015).

Resolving species relationships and confirming diagnostic morphological characters for insect clades that are highly plastic, and/or include morphologically cryptic species, is crucial for both academic and applied reasons. Within the true fly (Diptera) family Chironomidae, a most ubiquitous freshwater insect group, the genera Cricotopus Wulp, 1874...

In the century since the description of the orthoclad genus Paratrichocladius S antos‐ A breu ( D iptera: C hironomidae), separation in any life stage from the cosmopolitan, diverse Cricotopus W ulp has been problematic. Molecular analysis reveals the presence of two species in A ustralia that conform in morphology to Paratrichocladius and which fo...

The Australian species of the Orthocladiinae genus Cricotopus Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae) are revised for larval, pupal, adult male and female life stages. Eleven species, ten of which are new, are recognised and keyed, namely Cricotopus acornis Drayson & Cranston sp. nov., Cricotopus albitarsis Hergstrom sp. nov., Cricotopus annuliventris (Skuse)...

The informal taxon 'genus Chile' of Brundin, based solely on pupal exuviae of a podonomine Chironomidae, has remained inadequately known for half a century. New collections reveal life associations, and provide molecular data to hypothesise a precise phylogenetic placement in the austral Podonominae. A densely sampled molecular phylogeny based on t...

Based on associated material collected from Macau and Guangxi, the pupae and larvae of Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) nodosum Johannsen and P. (Tripodura) masudai Tokunaga are described completely for the first time. Both species are newly recorded from China. Characters for distinguishing the immature stage of these species from other allied Polypedil...

A second species of Polypedilum (Diptera: Chironomidae) is inferred to tolerate desiccation in an African rock pool habitat similar to the well-known anhydrobiotic Polypedilum vanderplanki Hinton. The species, Polypedilum ovahimba sp. nov., is described and illustrated as new to science from Namibia.

Macroinvertebrates that are collected in large numbers pose major problems in basic and applied biodiversity research: identification to species via morphology is often difficult, slow, and/or expensive. DNA barcodes are an attractive alternative or complementary source of information. Unfortunately obtaining DNA barcodes from specimens requires ma...

Pontomyia (Diptera : Chironomidae) is an exclusively marine and flightless insect genus with four described species from the Indo-Pacific and one undescribed taxon known only by its larvae, pupal skins and females from the western Atlantic. A previous study of relationships among three of the Indo-Pacific species reported each of them to be monophy...

The two species of chironomid midges that are known to be involved in mass swarming on the shores of Singapore's Pandan and Bedok reservoirs are described or redescribed. All life stages are illustrated to allow identification. Polypedilum nubifer (Skuse), the predominant nuisance midge of Pandan reservoir, is globally known as a coloniser of new a...

Donald Henry Colless (24 August 1922–16 February 2012) was a taxonomist at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) from 1960 until his retirement in 1987. He continued working in ANIC as an Honorary Fellow until his death in 2012. Don's main scientific interests were in the taxonomy and biology of true flies, and in the theory of phylogene...

Keys and diagnoses to larvae of Chironominae (Diptera: Chironomidae) of the Holarctic region .

Keys and diagnoses to larvae of Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) of the Holarctic region.

Donald Henry Colless (24 August 1922–16 February 2012) was a taxonomist at the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) from 1960 until his retirement in 1987. He continued working in ANIC as an Honorary Fellow until his death in 2012. Don’s main scientific interests were in the taxonomy and biology of true flies, and in the theory of phylogene...

Population genetic studies of freshwater invertebrate taxa in New Zealand and South America are currently few despite the geologically and climatically dynamic histories of these regions. The focus of our study was a comparison of the influence on realized dispersal of 2 closely related nonbiting midges (Chironomidae) of population fragmentation on...

Larvae of the chironomid genus Propsilocerus Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae), known from the Palaearctic region and from subfossil larval head capsules in North America, have been found living in remote British Columbia, Canada. We review the morphology and ecology of the taxon in North America, and report and interpret the subfossil occurrences. A...

We provide the first highly sampled phylogeny estimate for the dipteran family Chironomidae using molecular data from fragments of two ribosomal genes (18S and 28S), one nuclear protein-coding gene (CAD), and one mitochondrial protein-coding gene (COI), analysed using mixed-model Bayesian and maximum likelihood inference methods. The most recently...

Barbadocladius n. gen. is erected and described in larval, pupal and adult stages for two species: B. andinus sp. nov. and B. limay sp. nov., from Andean streams. The larva is distinctive by virtue of the very large ventromental 'beard' and the anterior parapods with a 'sleeve' of hooklets in addition to apical pectinate claws. The pupa has hooklet...

Restrictions to effective dispersal and gene flow caused by the fragmentation of ancient supercontinents are considered to have driven diversification and speciation on disjunct landmasses globally. Investigating the role that these processes have played in the development of diversity within and among taxa is crucial to understanding the origins a...

1. A diverse array of patterns has been reported regarding the spatial extent of population genetic structure and effective dispersal in freshwater macroinvertebrates. In river systems, the movements of many taxa can be restricted to varying degrees by the natural stream channel hierarchy. 2. In this study, we sampled populations of the non-biting...

The previously unknown larva and pupa of ‘Orthocladius’ pictipennis Freeman have been found, and associated by molecular means. Pharate pupae (males within pupae) allow the link to the described adult. We describe the larva and pupa, and provide short notes on the adult. The taxon is unrelated to Orthocladius — no members of this Holarctic genus ar...

The adult male of Halotanytarsus tika Tourenq is redescribed and the female described for the first time. The taxonomic position of the species is discussed and the genus is placed as a junior synonym of Tanytarsus v.d. Wulp.

A phylogeny of the Chironomidae subfamily Podonominae, significant in the history of phylogenetic biogeography, is estimated from an analysis of four genes. Fragments of two ribosomal genes (18S and 28S), one nuclear protein-coding gene (CAD), and one mitochondrial protein-coding gene (COI) were sequenced from specimens representing 13 of 15 genera...

The previously unknown female and larva for the New Zealand glacier midge, Zealandochlus latipalpis Brundin are described for the first time, and the pupa described more fully than previously. Unlike the male, which is brachypterous, the female has large wings possessing traces of a vein between R1 and R4+5 uniquely for the subfamily Podonominae. T...

The chironomid tribe Tanytarsini contains both large, widely distributed collective genera and small species groups with limited geographic distribution. The tribe houses species with peculiar behaviour or unusual habitat choice compared to most Chironomidae, and comprises several species and species groups still unknown to science. A stable phylog...

The first formal generic diagnosis for the immature stages and females, and a more complete diagnosis of the males of Stictocladius, based on extensive material from the southern continents, are provided. Associated immature stages are described in detail for the previously described Australasian species, Stictocladius lacuniferus (Freeman), New Ze...

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...

Australasia, which consists of Australia and the adjacent islands of the southwestern Pacific Ocean, has an insect diversity approximately proportional to the land mass. This diversity is distinctive, with some major groups missing and others having radiated. Iconic species are familiar to most people living in Australia and New Zealand, and a rang...

This chapter discusses the different sources of evidence for the phylogenies. Well-founded and less well-founded traditional, even refuted, relationships are discussed, and if resolution appears to be lacking, this inadequacy is identified. Insects belong to arguably the most successful major lineage of the phylum Arthropoda, the joint-legged anima...