Orthocladiinae
Guides
Brillia
Brillia is a genus of non-biting midges in the subfamily Orthocladiinae of the family Chironomidae. The genus exhibits remarkable cryptic diversity, with DNA barcoding studies revealing 30 Barcode Index Numbers and 158 unique haplotypes across 13 described species. East Asian and North American populations show complete genetic distinctness, suggesting long-term isolation. The larvae inhabit freshwater depositional zones and serve as sensitive bioindicators for ecosystem monitoring.
Bryophaenocladius
Bryophaenocladius is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. The genus was established by Thienemann in 1934 and includes species distributed across Europe and Asia. Species have been described from Norway, Denmark, Sweden, India, and China. Recent taxonomic work has emended generic diagnoses based on newly discovered morphological characters in multiple life stages.
Cardiocladius
Cardiocladius is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. These aquatic insects are part of the diverse group of chironomid flies commonly known as bloodworms, though adults do not feed on blood. The genus was established by Jean-Jacques Kieffer in 1912. Larval stages are aquatic and contribute to freshwater food webs.
Cardiocladius fulvus
Cardiocladius fulvus is a species of non-biting midge in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. The genus Cardiocladius comprises small, delicate midges whose larvae are typically associated with aquatic habitats. This species was described by Johannsen in 1908. Like other chironomids, adults are short-lived and do not feed; larvae are the primary feeding and growth stage.
Chasmatonotus
Chasmatonotus is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. The genus contains approximately 14 described species and exhibits a disjunct distribution spanning Japan, the Nearctic region, and Continental Asia. Adults are fully winged but non-flying, a distinctive trait among chironomids. The genus was historically considered restricted to Japan and North America until the 2023 discovery of a species in Korea.
Chasmatonotus bicolor
Chasmatonotus bicolor is a species of non-biting midge in the family Chironomidae, first described by Rempel in 1937. The genus Chasmatonotus belongs to the subfamily Orthocladiinae, one of the most diverse subfamilies within Chironomidae. Larvae of this genus are typically found in aquatic environments. The specific epithet "bicolor" refers to a two-colored appearance, though detailed descriptions of this coloration pattern are not well documented in available sources.
Corynoneura
non-biting midges
Corynoneura is a speciose genus of small, non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae. Members occur worldwide except Antarctica, inhabiting both flowing and standing freshwater across various thermal regimes. The genus has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision, with numerous species described from the Neotropical region and Oriental China in recent decades. DNA barcoding studies support the use of molecular data for species delimitation where morphology alone is insufficient.
Corynoneura lobata
Corynoneura lobata is a species of non-biting midge in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. First described by Edwards in 1924, this species belongs to a genus of small chironomids characterized by reduced wing venation and distinctive genitalic structures. The genus Corynoneura is taxonomically complex, with numerous species described from multiple biogeographic regions. C. lobata has documented distribution records in northern Europe.
Cricotopus
non-biting midges
Cricotopus is a large and diverse genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. Species occupy a wide range of freshwater and estuarine habitats globally, from pristine glacial streams to degraded urban waterways. Some species are specialized stem miners of aquatic plants, including C. lebetis which targets invasive hydrilla. The genus includes species with documented mutualistic relationships with cyanobacteria (Nostoc), as well as species used in biomonitoring and ecotoxicological research.
Diplocladius
Diplocladius is a genus of non-biting midges in the bloodworm family Chironomidae. It belongs to the subfamily Orthocladiinae, a diverse group of chironomid midges commonly found in aquatic and semi-aquatic environments. The genus was established by Kieffer in 1908 and contains four recognized species. These midges are part of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of freshwater systems.
Krenosmittia
Krenosmittia is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. The genus contains approximately 20 described species. Larvae have been documented inhabiting the hyporheic zone—the saturated interstitial spaces beneath and alongside stream beds—rather than typical surface sediments. Species occur across parts of Europe, Asia, and Russia.
Limnophyes
Limnophyes is a genus of non-biting midges (Chironomidae) in the subfamily Orthocladiinae. Species occupy diverse aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats including springs, wetlands, and leaf mines. The genus has a Holarctic distribution with some species showing global ranges, and contains approximately 40 described species. Several species exhibit specialized ecological associations, including crenophily (spring-dwelling) and commensal leaf-mining behavior.
Limnophyes fumosus
Limnophyes fumosus is a species of non-biting midge in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. Originally described as Camptocladius fumosus by Johannsen in 1905, it was later transferred to the genus Limnophyes. The genus Limnophyes comprises small chironomids commonly associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats.
Limnophyes viribus
A recently described non-biting midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) known for its distinctive inquiline behavior. Larvae inhabit vacated leaf mines created by Metriocnemus erythranthei rather than excavating their own tunnels. Described in 2023 from collections in Iowa and Oregon, USA.
Lopescladius
A genus of non-biting midges in the subfamily Orthocladiinae, known from the Neotropics. The first record for the Piranhas-Açu River basin in northeastern Brazil was documented in 2015, expanding the known distribution of this poorly studied genus.
Metriocnemus eurynotus
A small non-biting midge (Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) with larvae that feed on herbaceous plant material. The species has been documented as a leafminer of Impatiens cotyledons, initially mining fresh tissue before transitioning to external feeding. Larvae have also been found feeding within abandoned mines of Metriocnemus erythranthei on Veronica and on Petasites leaves. The species occurs across northern Europe and has been recorded from North America.
Parachaetocladius
non-biting midges
Parachaetocladius is a genus of non-biting midges in the subfamily Orthocladiinae of the family Chironomidae, established by Wolfgang Wülker in 1959 and revised in 2020. The genus contains approximately 10 described species distributed across the Holarctic region, including both Palaearctic and Nearctic representatives. Species are typically associated with lotic freshwater habitats, particularly sandy substrates in springs and groundwater-fed streams. The genus is distinguished from related orthocladiine genera primarily through adult male genitalic characters, particularly features of the hypopygium.
Parametriocnemus
Parametriocnemus is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all continents except Antarctica. It was established by Goetghebuer in 1931. Species-level identification of adult males in the Nearctic region requires examination of genitalia and other morphological features detailed in specialized taxonomic keys.
Paraphaenocladius
non-biting midges
Paraphaenocladius is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. Originally described from Europe, the genus has since been documented in the Neotropical region, with records from Costa Rica, Brazil, and other Central and South American localities. Species in this genus are associated with aquatic and semi-terrestrial habitats, particularly springs and mossy margins.
Paraphaenocladius exagitans
Paraphaenocladius exagitans is a non-biting midge in the family Chironomidae. The subspecies P. e. longipes has been recorded from Costa Rica, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, possibly Bolivia, and more recently from southeastern Brazil. Larvae inhabit small springs with slow water flow and construct delicate tubes using fine-sand grains while mining moss leaves. Development from collection to pupation has been observed to take approximately 20 days.
Thienemanniella
Thienemanniella is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, first described by Kieffer in 1911. These small dipterans belong to the subfamily Orthocladiinae and are part of the diverse group of chironomid midges commonly known as bloodworms. The genus is known from limited observational records across parts of Europe and South America.
Tvetenia
non-biting midges
Tvetenia is a genus of non-biting midges in the family Chironomidae, subfamily Orthocladiinae. Species occur across northern and eastern Europe, extending into Russia and Central Asia. The genus was established by Kieffer in 1922. Taxonomic revisions have clarified species boundaries, including the synonymy of T. vitracies with T. tshernovskii.