Zoology: General

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Chironomidae

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

Chironomidae (non-biting midges; order Diptera, suborder Nematocera) Family of delicate, gnat-like flies, in which the males have conspicuous, plumose antennae, and those of females are pilose. The head is usually overhung, and often concealed, by the thorax. Mouth-parts are poorly developed. Anterior wing veins are more prominent than posterior ones. Adults bear some resemblance to Culicidae, but can be distinguished by their unscaled wings. Adults fly in large numbers at sunset near standing bodies of water. The swarms comprise mainly males, and mating occurs when a female flies into a swarm. Eggs are laid in a mass, or ribbon of clear, mucuslike jelly. Larvae are almost all aquatic, or mud-dwellers that live in tubes. Some species have larvae containing haemoglobin as an adaptation to life in anoxic substrates. Some species can reproduce parthenogenetically, and paedogenesis has been recorded in others. There are some 2000 described species.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Chironomidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Chironomidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Chironomidae.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Chironomidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Chironomidae.html

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non-biting midges

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

non-biting midges See CHIRONOMIDAE.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "non-biting midges." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "non-biting midges." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-nonbitingmidges.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "non-biting midges." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-nonbitingmidges.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Factors influencing the distribution of chironomids in lakes distributed... Magazine article from: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences; 6/1/2006
	First Record of Phoresy Between Chironomid Larvae and Crayfish Magazine article from: The American Midland Naturalist; 5/3/2012
	It's a bug's life - but not for long.(News) Newspaper article from: South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales); 2/12/2003