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. 2024 Nov 8;12:e130218. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e130218

Chironomidae (Diptera) of the Šventoji and Žeimena sub-basins in Lithuania

Laurynas Stasiukynas 1,✉, Fabio Laurindo da Silva 2, Jekaterina Havelka 1, Sigitas Podėnas 1, Aistė Lekoveckaitė 1
PMCID: PMC11568412  PMID: 39552914

Abstract

Background

Chironomidae, commonly known as non-biting midges, are key indicators of the health and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. They are also one of the most abundant and diverse groups of aquatic invertebrates. Although Chironomidae are ecologically important, abundant and diverse, there has been limited focused research on this group in Lithuania. Our study addresses this gap by analysing the diversity of Chironomidae in six Lithuanian streams.

New information

In this study, we present a comprehensive list of Chironomidae collected from six streams with similar hydrological characteristics: three dammed and three undammed. Lithuania is home to 158 species of known species of Chironomidae, comprised of 22 species in the subfamily Tanypodinae, 87 in the Chironominae, 42 in the Orthocladiinae, four in the Diamesinae and three in the Prodiamesinae. Throughout our research, we collected 11,296 chironomid specimens using a D-shaped aquatic net. Amongst these specimens, we identified 89 species representing 65 genera and five subfamilies, including 37 species and 12 genera, were recorded for the first time in Lithuania. The subfamily Chironominae, with 28 genera and 6,816 specimens, has exhibited the highest abundance of non-biting midges both in terms of genera and individuals. Amongst the streams investigated, the Luknelė was the richest in diversity, harbouring 37 genera and 2,657 individuals, accounting for about 55% of the Chironomidae genera found during the research. Our findings significantly enhance the understanding of the Lithuanian Chironomidae fauna, marking the first comprehensive study of such a kind, as previous knowledge of this fauna has been derived only from related studies.

Keywords: Chironominae, Diamesinae, Orthocladiinae, Prodiamesinae, Tanypodinae, checklist, streams

Introduction

Rivers and streams occupy only 0.51% of Lithuania's territory (Gailiušis et al. 2001). The country boasts approximately 29,000 streams longer than 0.25 km, with a cumulative length of about 64,000 km (Kilkus and Stonevičius 2011). Around 80% of these streams (representing about 51% of the total stream length) are very small, measuring up to 3 km in length (Jablonskis et al. 2007). There are 3,646 small streams ranging from 3 to 10 km, collectively accounting for 24.5% of the total stream length. Medium-sized rivers, ranging from 10 to 100 km, constitute 20.4% of the total stream length, with a total of 75 such streams present in the country. Notably, only 17 rivers in Lithuania exceed 100 km in length, comprising just 0.1% of the total stream length. The Nemunas Basin is the largest river basin in Lithuania, covering an area of 46,695.4 km² within the country, with a total basin area of 97,863.5 km². The Nemunas River, flowing through this Basin, is the longest river in Lithuania, stretching for 475 km within Lithuania out of its total length of 937.4 km. The investigated streams are part of two sub-basins. The first sub-basin is the Šventoji River, the longest river flowing entirely within Lithuania, with a length of 246 km and a basin area of 6,889 km2. The second sub-basin is the Žeimena, with Žeimena River measuring 79.6 km in length and encompassing a basin area of 2,793 km2 (Jablonskis et al. 2007).

Diptera is the predominant group of macroinvertebrates in freshwater ecosystems, typically comprising the largest biomass and it is also one of the most extensively researched groups in freshwater environments (Ivković et al. 2020). Amongst aquatic macroinvertebrates, the Chironomidae family is generally the most abundant, both in individual numbers and species diversity (Farias et al. 2012, Rocha et al. 2012, Dantas et al. 2024). With over 6,000 species inhabiting various biotopes and occupying diverse niches, non-biting midges exhibit a wide array of trophic specialisations and lifestyles (Stur and Ekrem 2020). Given their tendency to dominate freshwater fauna, Chironomidae are considered important bioindicators for assessing freshwater (Lencioni et al. 2012). Consequently, they play a crucial role in monitoring, protecting and conserving freshwater environments (Cortelezzi et al. 2020).

In Lithuania, more than 150 species of Chironomidae have been recorded (Pakalniškis et al. 2006, Ruginis 2007, Móra and Kovács 2009). However, only a few isolated identifications have been made in previous studies (Móra and Kovács 2009) and comprehensive research on this family is yet to be conducted in Lithuania. Based on studies of Chironomidae diversity in the neighbouring countries, it is likely that several times more species exist in the Lithuania (Schartau et al. 2010, Paasivirta 2014). The aim of this study was to expand knowledge about the diversity and distribution of Chironomidae in streams of Lithuania.

Materials and methods

Hydrography and geography of the sampling area

The study was conducted in Lithuania, specifically within the Nemunas Basin, focusing on the sub-basins of the Šventoji and Žeimena Rivers. To ensure accurate data for the comparison, over 200 rivers and streams in Lithuania were screened and evaluated, based on data from the Rivers, Lakes and Ponds Cadastre of the Republic of Lithuania (UETK) data (Lietuvos Respublikos aplinkos ministerija 2024). Chironomidae specimens were collected from two types of streams: dammed (Skerdyksna, Šešuola, Dubinga) and undammed (Plaštaka, Kiauna, Luknelė). The streams were grouped into three pairs and then selected, based on their similarities in terms of geographic location, morphometric and hydrographic characteristics. The sample collection sites are situated in three protected areas: Anyksčiai and Asveja Regional Parks (Plaštaka, Šešuola, Dubinga and Skerdyksna) and Aukštaitija National Park and Labanoras Regional Park (Luknelė and Kiauna) (Fig. 1). All the streams are in the central-eastern part of Lithuania, with altitude ranges from 80 m to 150 m above sea level and traverse various landscapes, including natural or semi-natural forests and meadows, as well as agricultural and urbanised areas. The flow rate varied between the study sites, with a steady increase downstream in the undammed streams. However, the dammed streams varied considerably. For example, the Skerdyksna stream in the upper reaches passes through agricultural fields and is reclaimed, resulting in very low flow velocities. In the middle of the stream, at study sites 6 and 7, the stream is dammed. Upstream of the dam, a pond is formed, leading to stagnant water flow. Downstream of the dam, the flow velocity increases and the stream follows a natural course, characterised by a habitat-rich environment. The Šešuola stream is dammed twice, so all study sites were chosen at the dams. Study sites 23 and 21 are located in the ponds, resulting in stagnant water flow. Study site 24 is situated below the dam and in agricultural fields, where the stream section is reclaimed, with consistently low water levels averaging about 15 cm, leading to very low water velocity. Below the second dam, at study site 22, the river section is natural, which increases the flow rate. However, due to the dam and the varying rainfall, the stream depth fluctuates significantly during the season, ranging from 5 cm to 30 cm. The Dubinga stream, the third dammed stream, is dammed only in its downstream, while the upstream is natural or semi-natural, flowing through several small villages without intensive agriculture. The stream is quite deep in the upper and middle reaches, with study sites 1 and 2 maintaining an average depth of around 40 cm throughout the season. The last two survey sites in this stream were at the dam, with survey site 3 located in a pond, resulting in a stagnant water flow. Behind the dam, the stream's velocity and depth varied due to dam operations, with the depth ranging from 0 cm to 15 cm, causing highly variable flow velocity. The substrate of the studied streams varied not only between different streams, but also within the same stream at different study sites. Sand was the predominant substrate overall, but the composition and distribution of substrates varied between habitats. The substrate composition at the study sites included: silt, clay, mud, sand (the predominant substrate), granules, pebbles, cobbles and boulders. Additionally, some of the pristine sites were rich in detritus, with layers up to 0.5 m thick and contained dead wood trunks, some banks also being covered with abundant aquatic vegetation (Table 1).

Figure 1.

Figure 1.

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Map of Lithuania highlighting the studied streams and their locations.

Table 1.

List of the six researched streams along with pertinent information.

Sub-basin Stream Length (km) Discharge (m3/s) Catchment area (km2) Dammed Coordinates of sampling sites
Žeimena Dubinga 18.1 4.01 405.9 Yes 1 55°00'51.1"N, 25°38'16.4"E 2 55°00'56.4"N, 25°42'14.4"E 3 54°59'32.9"N, 25°45'16.6"E 4 54°59'27.2"N, 25°45'32.8"E
Žeimena Skerdyksna 13.9 0.50 42.2 Yes 5 54°56'44.7"N, 25°50'37.2"E 6 54°56'50.9"N, 25°45'35.6"E 7 54°56'47.5"N, 25°45'29.4"E 8 54°57'08.5"N, 25°43'18.7"E
Žeimena Luknelė 13.6 0.54 45.0 No 9 55°12'49.1"N, 25°56'32.1"E 10 55°13'22.0"N, 25°52'04.6"E 11 55°14'20.9"N, 25°51'14.6"E 12 55°15'00.0"N, 25°50'22.5"E
Žeimena Kiauna 17.9 2.95 308.7 No 13 55°14'48.5"N, 25°58'14.5"E 14 55°15'50.5"N, 25°56'28.6"E 15 55°17'44.4"N, 25°53'38.0"E 16 55°18'29.6"N, 25°53'12.9"E
Šventoji Plaštaka 18.1 0.82 88.3 No 17 55°18′29.12″N, 25°1′51.20″E 18 55°18′50.94″N, 25°3′41.15″E 19 55°20′9.35″N, 25°2′11.69″E 20 55°16′40.62″N, 24°59′10.82″E
Šventoji Šešuola 15.6 0.65 91.7 Yes 21 55°15'10.2"N, 24°58'40.9"E 22 55°15'14.9"N, 24°58'44.0"E 23 55°10'56.5"N, 24°56'28.0"E 24 55°11'03.7"N, 24°56'33.3"E
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Sampling and identification

The research was conducted in 2021 and 2022, spanning from May to September. Sampling was conducted across six streams with four research sites in each, resulting in sampling from 24 sites in total. Samples were gathered every two weeks using a D-shaped aquatic net mesh size of 1 mm (Fig. 2). At each site, a 1 m² area was randomly selected for sampling, which was conducted using the Kick Sampling method (Letovsky et al. 2012). Samples collected were transferred into 2 litre zip-lock bags filled with 99% propylene glycol. Upon collection, all samples were stored in a refrigerator at 4°C in the Life Sciences Centre of Vilnius University. Subsequently specimens which were identified as belonging to the Chironomidae family underwent meticulous separation and were preserved in containers filled with 97% ethanol.

Figure 2.

Figure 2.

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Sample collection using the Kick Sampling method by using D-shaped aquatic net.

Chironomidae larvae were identified by using taxonomic keys, based on morphology (morpho) available from Epler (2001), Orendt et al. (2011) and Andersen et al. 2013. The systematics and nomenclature of taxa follow Andersen et al. (2013). For molecular analysis, larvae from 200 specimens were selected. Total genomic DNA was extracted from each larva using the DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were amplified using primers LCO-1490 and HCO-2198 (Folmer et al. 1994). PCR amplification was performed in a thermal cycler (Eppendorf) in 30 μl reaction volumes containing 3 μl genomic DNA, 1.5 μl of each primer (0.5 μM), 15 μl of DreamTaq PCR Master Mix (Thermo Scientific) and 9 μl of nuclease free water (Thermo Scientific). The cycling parameters were as follows: initial denaturation at 95°C for 3 minutes (1 cycle), denaturising at 95°C for 30 seconds, annealing at 49°C for 30 seconds, extension at 72°C for 60 seconds (35 cycles in total) and final extension at 72°C for 10 minutes (1 cycle). PCR products were purified using the GeneJet PCR purification kit (Thermo Scientific) and sequenced at Macrogen Europe BV (Amsterdam, the Netherlands). The amplification primers were also used as sequencing primers. DNA sequences for each specimen were aligned in the BioEdit Sequence Alignment Editor (Hall 1999) and compared by BLAST (National Library of Medicine 2024). GenBank accession numbers for each individual are given in the Check List.

Sample-based rarefaction curves were produced to visually compare the genera richness of non-biting midges amongst the researched streams and to assess the sampling effort (Gotelli and Colwell 2001). The similarity of chironomid assemblages collected over two study years from dammed and undammed streams was visualised using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination, based on the Bray–Curtis similarity index. The analyses were conducted using PAST 4.07b software (Hammer et al. 2001).

Checklists

Check list of Chironomidae collected across six streams: Skerdyksna, Šešuola, Dubinga, Plaštaka, Kiauna and Luknelė

Diptera

Linnaeus, 1758

A87EC1B0-147E-5803-8488-8CAD317598D3

Nematocera

Dumeril, 1805

40D8C977-4B6C-590D-BC6C-C6D0EABE4EE4

Culicomorpha

Hennig, 1948

EBF0AD26-7139-5971-A2BA-65123DD84A68

CHIRONOMIDAE

Newman, 1834

E8CB2337-19F7-55C4-B893-B710E52F9944

Tanypodinae

Skuse, 1889

E699DE60-B3F5-5E82-8C69-19E6F1D0CC91

Anatopyniini

Fittkau, 1962

6A743EB0-3533-5779-A6D4-7EB80A244D1A

Anatopynia

Johannsen, 1905

4D511B14-057E-50D6-9249-BA75A451F569

Anatopynia sp.

77109D43-AD32-5C79-8A47-073DA429DBE8

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Lapinskaitė 1968).

Coelotanypodini

Coffman, 1978

21F91EE4-6A4D-58AC-88B8-3428AF90FA3D

Clinotanypus

Kieffer, 1913

38F143E9-D344-5A10-86E3-93CBCA643459

Clinotanypus nervosus

(Meigen, 1818)

0C5E725A-2CD2-51CC-BAF2-02FE157FA990

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458089; PQ458090; PQ458091). First record for Lithuania (Lapinskaitė 1968).

Macropelopiini

Zavřel, 1929

07DA0A2C-F0BF-5DE5-9A71-DB6381B40EBF

Apsectrotanypus

Fittkau, 1962

8762F45F-578F-589B-ABCA-05C7EC3D23D7

Apsectrotanypus trifascipennis

(Zetterstedt, 1838)

31FDDD94-AF5B-5BB8-B1A2-DFA317120F72

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458073; PQ458074). First record for Lithuania (Móra and Kovács 2009).

Macropelopia

Thienemann, 1916

22EBE0B5-EB00-55B4-9753-A3880395C650

Macropelopia nebulosa

(Meigen, 1804)

D0A46518-8725-52C4-A9B0-4035D0D4C1DF

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Macropelopia notata

(Meigen, 1818)

DA8161E7-7CFD-5D24-A293-9CF27E2BB06D

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Sæther and Spies 2005).

Psectrotanypus

Kieffer, 1909

E607F270-3FDF-5952-B40A-A6B7F18B25FD

Psectrotanypus varius

(Fabricius, 1787)

3E83C783-ED47-5A8D-B0CB-F2EDB7B59C4F

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458163). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Pentaneurini

Hennig, 1950

B75599DC-5481-59C3-A8B7-ED0663591D0D

Ablabesmyia

Johannsen, 1905

8CAC0A0B-32CC-5DF7-866B-C87C9B8AD21E

Ablabesmyia (Ablabesmyia) longistyla

Fittkau, 1962

301E6A45-F32E-5A52-A547-BA91B4879B51

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458066; PQ458067; PQ458068; PQ458069; PQ458070; PQ458071). First record for Lithuania (Sæther and Spies 2005).

Ablabesmyia (Ablabesmyia) monilis

(Linnaeus, 1758)

38CAF0D2-E115-5B15-9365-D9B251A49065

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Ablabesmyia (Ablabesmyia) phatta

(Egger, 1864)

7B46420E-24C1-56DB-8777-3AA3124157BF

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Conchapelopia

Fittkau, 1957

79A94CF8-3BD1-5867-A426-5EEBCB81281E

Conchapelopia melanops

(Meigen, 1818)

25C9B615-8901-535C-9AFD-ED08808514E7

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458092; PQ458093; PQ458094; PQ458095; PQ458096; PQ458097). New record for Lithuania.

Krenopelopia

Fittkau, 1962

F0BDB53E-892C-5C20-9ED7-F280BB74B07E

Krenopelopia binotata

(Wiedemann, 1817)

5AA4CC02-5132-596D-B2A4-03524821C8A2

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Sæther and Spies 2005).

Larsia

Fittkau, 1962

050B00B2-57ED-59D2-9BAE-511BCFD7420F

Larsia atrocincta

(Goetghebuer, 1942)

8A8BBE6B-C6AB-51F7-8F99-CCA3F3BE45ED

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458114; PQ458115). New record for Lithuania.

Zavrelimyia

Fittkau, 1962

BB9A5F46-DE50-5DC0-9D1D-03E08C495639

Zavrelimyia melanura

(Meigen, 1804)

08B26561-EA5B-51B6-9949-CF7B09BA38AE

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė and Kesminas 2004).

Procladiini

Roback, 1971

FE12EE47-84EB-50A3-9670-A82B681E5CEC

Procladius

Skuse, 1889

2FA59F78-134C-5FBE-8F94-C3E828F319DC

Procladius (Holotanypus) crassinervis

(Zetterstedt, 1838)

F4A59253-6B5C-5A14-A62D-8CB2BDCD3C07

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458151). New record for Lithuania.

Procladius (Holotanypus) culiciformis

(Linnaeus, 1767)

5D48AFE7-F6B3-52D5-A032-6A71EC47BBDA

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458152; PQ458153; PQ458154). New record for Lithuania.

Procladius (Holotanypus) denticulatus

Sublette, 1964

63FA4A05-815C-56BF-AF25-CF297CEE6E20

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458155; PQ458156; PQ458157). New record for Lithuania.

Procladius (Holotanypus) fuscus

Brundin, 1956

4D81C87E-E088-5A23-BAF3-5894D48E0854

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Procladius (Holotanypus) pectinatus

(Kieffer, 1909)

AA13A397-3AC1-53D4-AC3D-3E79145826E5

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458158). New record for Lithuania.

Procladius sp.

Skuse, 1889

F906BCEE-8782-502D-9EAC-EAF280B12452

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458159). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Tanypodini

Skuse, 1889

23D72B43-961E-5B81-9962-6C59A59BC09D

Tanypus

Meigen, 1803

452E4A59-F22D-5D81-AFD7-6CBE6AF034C6

Tanypus (Tanypus) kraatzi

(Kieffer, 1912)

8BA6687E-E4D1-57B7-AF42-A27F6E460E92

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Tanypus (Tanypus) vilipennis

(Kieffer, 1918)

AA645735-90DD-57AE-9A83-3D0656859523

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Diamesinae

Kieffer, 1922

C15D0E9C-DD1C-529F-AAE9-C5E866A31369

Diamesini

Kieffer, 1922

9A2A9D62-3D2C-510C-BE52-0F09F773168B

Potthastia

Kieffer, 1922

B6FF263F-C6D7-5A1B-B671-A3B51F9582BB

Potthastia sp.

1F45E13E-C598-5AAA-9C1C-A9FF98E998CC

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Gasiūnas 1959).

Pseudodiamesa

Goetghebuer, 1939

CCDAB988-147D-5720-BEE9-F64584C2A3F0

Pseudodiamesa (Pachydiamesa) arctica

(Malloch, 1919)

7DBAC0B5-1AAA-5051-9DA2-0FC460BFF9AE

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Prodiamesinae

Sæther, 1976

53156AD5-6F1F-5145-84C5-B9913BD9D958

Monodiamesa

Kieffer, 1922

F625A0C5-2DC9-5837-93E0-4FD7AC563FEE

Monodiamesa bathyphila

(Kieffer, 1918)

EDFA9DC5-DE59-53B5-BCAF-2C3E1E0B9F95

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458130; PQ458131). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Odontomesa

Pagast, 1947

BE8C717A-BF66-5DD0-9D6C-D0B53ADA0813

Odontomesa fulva

(Kieffer, 1919)

BD40D937-78D6-56C0-8C2E-C787EA3035C4

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458134). First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 2001b).

Prodiamesa

Kieffer, 1906

342CC376-E834-5D28-8B4B-C0AD217627E9

Prodiamesa olivacea

(Meigen, 1818)

A001A77F-5E38-5D70-9165-A680ACEB3229

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458160; PQ458161; PQ458162). First record for Lithuania (Bubinas and Jagminienė 2001).

Orthocladiinae

Kieffer, 1911

C041BB29-F9C4-5EE0-A434-37EEFDD238CF

Acricotopus

Kieffer, 1921

F0C4434B-5926-5BB1-B115-A9B27B4E76B8

Acricotopus lucens

(Zetterstedt, 1850)

EC55B117-1518-5EA9-B1A2-D926301E2AF1

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458072). New record for Lithuania.

Brillia

Kieffer, 1913

B7387E8C-8620-57E4-966F-32CF7F4B513A

Brillia sp.

2AFB6040-E969-5C14-9201-FC0F07A04037

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 2001a).

Chaetocladius

Kieffer, 1911

3E6F18EF-EF59-5D5F-BFA1-90F02A56D9F9

Chaetocladius (Chaetocladius) piger

(Goetghebuer, 1913)

E29A4F43-35B8-5311-B7EA-6E3E5E44F1E0

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Corynoneura

Winnertz, 1846

37BB3F67-CE62-5AC4-9840-F54CA563A5E7

Corynoneura sp.

31113E99-2A12-5550-B81E-DB42A5FD796F

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Cricotopus

van der Wulp, 1874

DCD3536A-F260-5CD1-AB36-4A969889FDF7

Cricotopus (Cricotopus) bicinctus

(Meigen, 1818)

AD6F73BD-A2FC-5823-B888-690360F9FA8F

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458098). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Cricotopus (Cricotopus) cylindraceus

(Kieffer, 1908)

E18FA2BE-9189-5E61-9850-EF1BFD9CE877

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Cricotopus (Cricotopus) festivellus

(Kieffer, 1906)

AA5DC6A6-D693-522E-9EA0-75BE397B1CC0

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Cricotopus (Isocladius) perniger

(Zetterstedt, 1850)

317CA56A-F391-561E-AD52-22842E5A17A5

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Cricotopus sp.

431BD327-A268-5B8D-8956-04AAE618E700

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458100). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Cricotopus (Isocladius) sylvestris

Fabricius, 1794

7B0D7709-EE7C-5B86-AD7B-60862301DE32

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458099). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Epoicocladius

Sulc and Zavřel, 1924

238AA6F0-2EEF-57B9-9126-9E81C49913C3

Epoicocladius ephemerae

(Kieffer, 1924)

7536CFEF-E50D-5886-B232-AFA2D7E61085

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Virbickas and Pliūraitė 2002).

Eukiefferiella

Thienemann, 1926

81E47FE0-FA62-5613-9119-04626E50993F

Eukiefferiella sp.

0A06F9B2-EFCC-5AE5-8B40-315FBD8B1FED

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 1999).

Heterotrissocladius

Spärck, 1923

ED773001-5D74-590C-8248-7DC9279E6262

Heterotrissocladius marcidus

(Walker, 1856)

6EBA0F2C-08A8-5B04-AB2A-0680F8C646C4

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Limnophyes

Eaton, 1875

B5094EE7-5F4D-5D8E-B921-405B2CECB0C2

Limnophyes minimus

(Meigen, 1818)

13E9B5D6-DEEB-5A9E-8EE9-C08DEB5CDE0D

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Metriocnemus

van der Wulp, 1874

C46F6A04-88C5-5432-BBEC-D7371E4BF089

Metriocnemus (Metriocnemus) eurynotus

(Holmgren, 1883)

165B45FD-C673-5A49-B7F1-7852EB656EE8

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Sæther and Spies 2005).

Nanocladius

Kieffer, 1913

5360B556-26E0-5419-80F4-343BC5DB275A

Nanocladius (Nanocladius) dichromus

(Kieffer, 1906)

382597CE-9288-5E4D-9A8A-87865B5B17AB

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458132; PQ458133). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Orthocladius

van der Wulp, 1874

4ABCCCF8-EBB7-56A8-9062-B6E184A1342C

Orthocladius (Orthocladius) decoratus

(Holmgren, 1869)

A49CBD24-A73D-5CC4-906A-223E6B0ABDEC

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Orthocladius (Orthocladius) oblidens

(Walker, 1856)

36260112-9A6B-5505-90D4-F2C45D286FDB

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458135; PQ458136; PQ458137). New record for Lithuania.

Orthocladius (Orthocladius) rubicundus

(Meigen, 1818)

82B38466-F5F9-5969-BA96-F775FE8D00CB

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458138). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Paracladius

Hirvenoja, 1973

E6829034-0492-5F48-8EFF-1D8077466196

Paracladius conversus

(Walker, 1856)

9883D9EF-3F69-5069-BFB5-1912F649FE64

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Sæther and Spies 2005).

Parakiefferiella

Thienemann, 1936

D75E5098-96AC-5BC5-A550-46937AD1946E

Parakiefferiella sp.

969257F4-0985-5A33-A537-7CAD9FB96486

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Parametriocnemus

Goetghebuer, 1932

1872CDB4-E4AD-59E1-808A-FC2A2A6C0CD0

Parametriocnemus sp.

A73369B3-D170-5215-8D2C-AEFE00A704C3

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Paraphaenocladius

Thienemann, 1924

4A7FDF4F-CEE5-5F71-9472-23DBC8FB0DF9

Paraphaenocladius sp.

8ABF2A5A-03F3-5A72-85EA-982ECE3F6782

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458064; PQ458065). New record for Lithuania.

Psectrocladius

Kieffer, 1906

19260898-2B94-5B28-8345-E53D5A0F44D9

Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) limbatellus

(Holmgren, 1869)

72B394EC-4B22-51FB-A719-D352835C732B

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) psilopterus

Thienemann, 1906)

5C9E76B1-C832-59F8-951F-6A2FA1B6DF08

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) sordidellus

(Zetterstedt, 1838)

6BA82BC4-D389-528B-8D70-C675EB31995B

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Rheocricotopus

Brundin, 1956

FA43AAC0-B739-5B5E-9922-09240C681FE3

Rheocricotopus (Rheocricotopus) fuscipes

(Kieffer, 1909)

1CFD3634-7B93-5F93-BFB3-733A59F01923

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Synorthocladius

Thienemann, 1935

38C27433-3B3D-5A58-AE1D-5442524AB860

Synorthocladius semivirens

(Kieffer, 1909)

E41AE9E6-7B27-58F5-A3E2-253F7C419683

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Thienemanniella

Kieffer, 1911

CE2B19FB-7D60-581A-969C-70BE3D59C74E

Thienemanniella sp.

A5EA6AC9-BC2A-511A-8F99-ED94B29DB2A2

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Zalutschia

Lipina, 1939

6D6658C9-D6B9-5017-AFCF-1397AE807E49

Zalutschia sp.

62C9CEAE-8CD3-54F6-9E25-2808229CBA23

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 1999).

Chironominae

Newman, 1834

1D9A5DE4-566F-51C0-B45F-627B0C9F5FA5

Chironomini

Newman, 1834

CA944670-5B61-5563-AAA6-167727AB0A02

Chironomus

Meigen, 1803

64AE1375-46BA-5562-BA23-6F1BE63FA899

Chironomus (Chironomus) acidophilus

Keyl, 1960

35AA815B-C766-5141-8C77-3BC875F0099D

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458075). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) cingulatus

Meigen, 1830

4A5EAD9A-DC5B-5A74-BB8A-854E6F55B4DD

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458076; PQ458077; PQ458078; PQ458079). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) curabilis

Belyanina, Sigareva and Loginova, 1990

FFBCA014-BD52-535C-A9E5-A3E64A030808

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458080; PQ458081). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) melanescens

Keyl, 1961

A6E8CEBB-9C24-53D1-99C4-78CA787FF642

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458082). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) melanotus

Keyl, 1961

CC50177E-C7E5-5B5D-9AD5-E46E7B73E452

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458083). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) pallidivittatus

Malloch, 1915

6C249142-92B2-5BA9-A6C4-DB56E5287B43

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458085). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) piger

Strenzke, 1959

1F821DCA-E1C3-5167-A75A-2C02AD012048

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458086; PQ458087). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) plumosus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

CE41E406-657E-547D-AB15-3FFE079BBBF6

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis et al. 1981).

Chironomus (Chironomus) pseudothummi

Strenzke, 1959

AAC38AE8-9962-5FF9-9181-D4114367217D

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458084; PQ458088). New record for Lithuania.

Chironomus (Chironomus) riparius

Meigen, 1804

3BF12255-575E-5B39-84B8-B88202007B90

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Chironomus (Chironomus) salinarius

Kieffer, 1915

AB6D3702-DEED-5EDA-BAE7-AA41D289756A

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Cladopelma

Kieffer, 1921

5E4C1138-375D-5497-A384-12034CF660BA

Cladopelma sp.

6257E939-125A-5F85-9525-585B4B3AF5CE

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Cryptochironomus

Kieffer, 1918

7474720A-85D4-577A-9E7A-4B3EB4474ADC

Cryptochironomus albofasciatus

(Staeger, 1839)

13EC11F4-BC0A-52E2-9E76-7E5199D1681B

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458101; PQ458102). New record for Lithuania.

Cryptochironomus obreptans

(Walker, 1856)

541EE618-1922-5D24-96E1-C86D3A82D97A

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458103). New record for Lithuania.

Cryptochironomus rostratus

Kieffer, 1921

D57D88CC-7410-5402-B84F-18C1F1F25A29

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458104). New record for Lithuania.

Cryptotendipes

Beck and Beck, 1969

49413F9B-BD6B-5A33-8741-6CC608C89572

Cryptotendipes sp.

EE0F960B-45BE-5F9F-9F21-7FBEE0B53494

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Sæther and Spies 2005).

Demicryptochironomus

Lenz, 1941

56DC47A6-90C4-5B1A-9034-2592DA35C7CB

Demicryptochironomus (Demicryptochironomus) vulneratus

(Zetterstedt, 1838)

59DF2FD5-12A6-5CC0-8E59-85F1B80CE8EA

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458105; PQ458106). First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Dicrotendipes

Kieffer, 1913

EA91D811-43D7-5B19-9D8B-BD99975FD66A

Dicrotendipes nervosus

(Staeger, 1839)

2D390F28-DC82-52B1-9CC5-FB999A3588A0

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Dicrotendipes tritomus

Thienemann & Kieffer, 1916

9CBD93C9-1466-58A1-90BF-2547ADFA3CE6

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458107). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Einfeldia

Kieffer, 1924

EBE6C9DC-2F0B-5560-84CD-AE7A6AFC6A1E

Einfeldia pagana

(Meigen, 1838)

22778DBE-8AAA-5A86-A692-0CC463FF52CD

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458108; PQ458109). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Endochironomus

Kieffer, 1918

1DC400EA-0BE0-50EB-8992-EACF74DC7C0E

Endochironomus albipennis

(Meigen, 1830)

9E8EEC46-B7AA-53D7-8C78-E7FCD21BBA18

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Endochironomus tendens

(Fabricius, 1775)

FCEDB5BD-441F-5E24-929B-CEF2BB594EA2

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458110; PQ458111). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Glyptotendipes

Kieffer, 1913

88CD620D-C783-5076-9C59-333DC552F3FE

Glyptotendipes (Phytotendipes) cauliginellus

(Kieffer, 1913)

FF1C0603-3AFC-5BB5-9C90-3DD5A741767D

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458112). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Glyptotendipes (Phytotendipes) pallens

(Meigen, 1804)

36149A10-BA4E-525D-838A-DB1A58B2EF3B

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė and Kesminas 2004).

Glyptotendipes (Trichotendipes) signatus

(Kieffer, 1909)

9D2B3430-86E8-52F6-8F63-DA962C7D1235

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Harnischia

Kieffer, 1921

1FF6D0C5-6AD2-56E1-AD37-5082F12C6678

Harnischia fuscimanus

Kieffer, 1921

582B08F1-8780-5523-9CB6-3849D0C9CD84

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458113). First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 2001a).

Microtendipes

Kieffer, 1915

12E76F32-4D1E-5FF1-87E4-455642A3B845

Microtendipes chloris

(Meigen, 1818)

A25D3888-6F07-54C4-A3E2-0D0C7CD5CFDF

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458117; PQ458118; PQ458119; PQ458120; PQ458121). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Microtendipes pedellus

(De Geer, 1776)

5313C1B6-8D1B-5D39-BC2A-B8660AA16246

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458122; PQ458123; PQ458124; PQ458125; PQ458126; PQ458127). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Microtendipes rydalensis

(Edwards, 1929)

5B9E18C1-00AF-5BE8-B6A2-D87E213DD71C

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458128). New record for Lithuania.

Microtendipes sp.

FD666062-87A5-5C8D-A636-36EA4110D9CA

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458129). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Microtendipes tarsalis

(Walker, 1856)

AF836B53-55F9-5AF6-9E1E-872AB1BCDC1B

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Parachironomus

Lenz, 1921

A21E2D68-01E8-5F5F-8301-9218B90D4984

Parachironomus vitiosus

(Goetghebuer, 1921)

1C027F76-0F31-5464-B936-89EED3FAB850

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458139; PQ458140; PQ458141). First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Paracladopelma

Harnisch, 1923

009874CD-5189-5927-A1EC-1004AA80456C

Paracladopelma camptolabis

(Kieffer, 1913)

43F8FE62-4979-53E6-A7E7-3CA433B4D0F3

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė and Kesminas 2004).

Paratendipes

Kieffer, 1911

035F99EB-BA82-5DF6-A705-6DD7B45B796A

Paratendipes albimanus

(Meigen, 1804)

7D427609-00FD-55F6-905F-CB0C8FF4736B

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458142; PQ458143; PQ458144; PQ458145). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Polypedilum

Kieffer, 1912

203EC7DF-55EB-56E8-A1E8-0F2B5D7E248F

Polypedilum (Uresipedilum) convictum

(Walker, 1856)

2DEE4C7C-F397-50CF-9E76-E3FB0332898A

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458146). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Polypedilum (Uresipedilum) cultellatum

Goetghebuer, 1931

7D13F44D-84D7-5168-8BEB-386CCEE4EE11

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458147). New record for Lithuania.

Polypedilum (Polypedilum) nubeculosum

(Meigen, 1804)

443E34EC-AAB4-5030-9355-A77C1FD87E2D

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Polypedilum (Tripodura) pullum

(Zetterstedt, 1838)

6CDCE518-C43E-5D79-9DA0-55815393377A

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Polypedilum (Tripodura) scalaenum

Schrank, 1803

3B5AD1A7-0322-587C-A473-D2666460B92C

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458148; PQ458149). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) sordens

(Wulp, 1875)

DEC452A0-7D3B-5A6A-9AEB-1FE6B6C3A8E0

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Polypedilum sp.

0DF6C57B-BE6F-5488-96B9-C4424AD26139

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458150). First record for Lithuania (Lapinskaitė 1968).

Synendotendipes

Grodhaus, 1987

7FE93FEA-70C7-5C69-B59C-B615721C1685

Synendotendipes impar

(Walker, 1856)

3B2AE763-B5D2-517C-BE2A-D3CD3E502282

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458166). First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 1999).

Stenochironomus

Kieffer, 1919

A892C24D-49B7-5C5B-A7FF-72A483031EA0

Stenochironomus (Stenochironomus) gibbus

(Fabricius, 1794)

F4E8CEE4-5647-530F-939F-D962EA0400A3

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458164; PQ458165). New record for Lithuania.

Stictochironomus

Kieffer, 1919

9BDFDD30-E906-55EB-AF01-9E380038FD87

Stictochironomus sp.

0644E609-BA44-5F0F-A789-858B9D730EAD

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Tribelos

Townes, 1945

CD8F049E-380E-5D2C-AFEB-DBC8CB9DD2D3

Tribelos intextus

(Walker, 1856)

C7B31308-A380-5008-889E-7BFF0F4821EA

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458171; PQ458172). First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Xenochironomus

Kieffer, 1921

713171A1-32DC-5FFA-B2B8-0F506D54CE61

Xenochironomus xenolabis

Kieffer, 1916

63F0771E-AE98-59FA-9737-6D457E688DEB

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Pliūraitė 1999).

Tanytarsini

Zavřel, 1917

1E4BE212-D336-53A0-A839-7E8263B7AD26

Cladotanytarsus

Kieffer, 1921

32D78B00-01E7-5A2F-88CC-DF7FCB6E2085

Cladotanytarsus mancus

(Walker, 1856)

AB2BF645-0D74-557E-BC8F-B90EC7F7603C

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Ashe and Cranston 1990).

Micropsectra

Kieffer, 1908

E42E5DEA-3CF7-5ACF-BAC1-5FAEB3B1B191

Micropsectra apposita

(Walker, 1856)

3BA4F1B9-3904-5E81-895C-1415AF0778DD

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Micropsectra contracta

Reiss, 1965

E69BB4D7-0A5E-5D05-8DD9-72E216009A0A

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458116). First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Neozavrelia

Goetghebuer, 1941

10D1FE20-E653-5A11-A5DA-9725D8F307F0

Neozavrelia sp.

63CDC7A7-9A85-58C4-9784-907EB9385729

Notes

Morpho identification. New record for Lithuania.

Paratanytarsus

Thienemann and Bause, 1913

07B1B140-8A07-54D1-8037-B35CEF981A8A

Paratanytarsus sp.

37132BBD-D824-56E9-90B3-DF67929845EB

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Stempellina

Thienemann and Bause, 1913

77EFA6A6-DBCD-54EE-A0C0-C7B6D0D57ED3

Stempellina sp.

C4C8C121-540B-55EE-A097-8456D4EE189E

Notes

Morpho identification. First record for Lithuania (Grigelis 1999).

Tanytarsus

van der Wulp, 1874

402616D6-7418-5B6D-A103-B9B1BAEC596C

Tanytarsus multipunctatus

Brundin, 1947

770AF176-0D3E-55C2-83B5-2F13E31FB179

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458168; PQ458169; PQ458170). New record for Lithuania.

Virgatanytarsus

Pinder, 1982

5A1A80D7-019D-5E48-B14B-8C4EE4A97DE6

Virgatanytarsus sp.

8C383BB6-7717-573F-8AB6-A8609F7221A9

Notes

Morpho-molecular identification (GenBank ID: PQ458167). New record for Lithuania.

Analysis

A grand total of 11,296 non-biting midge specimens, comprising 89 species representing 65 genera and five subfamilies, were gathered from the sampling sites from six streams. Most specimens were identified to the subfamily and genus level, based on both morphological characteristics and analysis of partial COI sequences.

The highest richness of chironomids was observed in the subfamily Chironominae, which included 28 genera and 45 species. In contrast, the lowest richness was found in Diamesinae, with two genera and two species (Fig. 3). The Orthocladiinae exhibited a richness of 21 genera and 21 species, while Prodiamesinae showed a richness of 13 genera and 19 species.

Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Open in a new tab

The amount of individuals (blue bars) and the distribution across genera (orange bars) of non-biting midges’ (Chironomidae) subfamilies collected during the study.

In terms of abundance, the subfamilies Chironominae (6816 specimens) and Tanypodinae (2476 specimens) were the most prevalent, together accounting for 82.46% of collected specimens. Conversely, the subfamilies Prodiamesinae and Diamesinae subfamilies had the fewest individuals, with specimens 176 and six specimens, respectively.

Amongst the genera, the most abundant were Ablabesmyia Johannsen, 1905 (944 specimens), Microtendipes Kieffer, 1915 (661 specimens), Procladius Skuse, 1889 (474 specimens), Tanytarsus van der Wulp, 1874 (349 specimens), Polypedilum Kieffer, 1912 (290 specimens), Chironomus Meigen, 1803 (254 specimens), Conchapelopia Fittkau, 1957 (168 specimens), Prodiamesa Kieffer, 1906 (156 specimens), Micropsectra Kieffer, 1908 (151 specimens), Paratendipes Kieffer, 1911 (104 specimens) and Psectrocladius Kieffer, 1906 (103 specimens) (Fig. 4).

Figure 4.

Figure 4.

Open in a new tab

The number of specimens of non-biting midges (Chironomidae) representing each genus after excluding those with less than 100 collected specimens.

The Table below lists the subfamilies, genera and the abundance of specimens in each of the studied streams: Dubinga, Kiauna, Luknelė, Plaštaka, Skerdyksna and Šešuola in 2021 and 2022, spanning from May to September (Table 2).

Table 2.

List of non-biting midges (Chironomidae) sub-families and genera and their abundance collected of six streams in Lithuania, 2021 to 2022: Dubinga, Kiauna, Luknelė, Plaštaka, Skerdyksna and Šešuola.

Sub-family Genera Dubinga Kiauna Luknelė Plaštaka Skerdyksna Šešuola
Tanypodinae Anatopynia 1 1
Clinotanypus 5 1 4 13 47 10
Apsectrotanypus 10
Macropelopia 1 6 2
Psectrotanypus 4
Ablabesmyia 119 206 412 75 38 94
Conchapelopia 4 39 73 10 16 26
Krenopelopia 2
Larsia 4 2
Zavrelimyia 5 1
Procladius 84 68 54 81 153 34
Tanypus 2 2 4
Diamesinae Potthastia 4
Pseudodiamesa 1 1
Prodiamesinae Monodiamesa 10 1 2
Odontomesa 7
Prodiamesa 69 41 13 3 30
Orthocladiinae Acricotopus 23
Brillia 1
Chaetocladius 1 1
Corynoneura 23 9 15 14 5 17
Cricotopus 16 2 4 15
Epoicocladius 3 1
Eukiefferiella 1 2
Heterotrissocladius 4
Limnophyes 1
Metriocnemus 1
Nanocladius 2
Orthocladius 4 5 64
Paracladius 3 1 1
Parakiefferiella 15 9 7 3
Parametriocnemus 3
Paraphaenocladius 58
Psectrocladius 91 3 5 2 2
Rheocricotopus 19
Synorthocladius 5 2 1
Thienemanniella 1 1
Zalutschia 2 7
Chironominae Chironomus 38 29 85 59 12
Cladopelma 2
Cryptochironomus 8 4 4 6 2
Cryptotendipes 4 1
Demicryptochironomus 1 15
Dicrotendipes 3 3
Einfeldia 1 1 17
Endochironomus 2 5 9 2 8
Glyptotendipes 14 2
Harnischia 2 10
Microtendipes 238 152 39 158 63 10
Parachironomus 19 15
Paracladopelma 1 1 5
Paratendipes 3 8 60 28 5
Polypedilum 167 10 17 58 4 21
Synendotendipes 9 1 1 3 5
Stenochironomus 8 1
Stictochironomus 1 2 2
Tribelos 14
Xenochironomus 2
Cladotanytarsus 5 11 27 13
Micropsectra 69 13 32 3 34
Neozavrelia 7
Paratanytarsus 1 1 1 3 3
Stempellina 1
Tanytarsus 97 82 37 101 22 21
Virgatanytarsus 16
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The genera richness of non-biting midges reached an asymptote in all the streams studied, except for the Kiauna stream, suggesting that additional genera may still be discovered (Fig. 5).

Figure 5.

Figure 5.

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Sample-based genera accumulation (rarefaction) curves, with 95% confidence intervals, of the Chironomidae genera’ richness collected in six streams.

Amongst the undammed streams, the Luknelė had the highest abundance of individuals and the greatest number of genera identified. It also emerged as a stream with the highest abundance and diversity of chironomids in terms of genera across all the streams studied. In contrast, the Šešuola stream had the lowest number of individuals, the least diversity of genera across all the studied streams and was the only stream that was dammed twice (Fig. 6). Since three of the streams studied were dammed and three were undammed, NMDS analysis was conducted to compare them based on chironomid assemblages. The visual analysis showed that the genera composition of chironomids in dammed and undammed streams partially overlapped (Fig. 7).

Figure 6.

Figure 6.

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Number of genera (orange bars) and specimens (blue bars) of non-biting midges (Chironomidae) in all streams researched.

Figure 7.

Figure 7.

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Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination (stress = 0.167) representing Chironomidae assemblages in dammed (purple) and undammed (blue) streams.

Discussion

Our study represents the first comprehensive investigation into the Chironomidae family in Lithuania. Despite studying only six streams with similar characteristics within one region of Lithuania, the gathered chironomids material encompasses over 50% of all known non-biting midges species in the country. However, given the limited scope of our research and its outcomes, it is apparent that the findings may not entirely reflect the actual state of Chironomidae in Lithuania.

The prevalence of subfamilies in terms of genera and number of individuals reveals notable trends, aligning closely with observations made in Croatia by Čerba et al. (2020), who investigated chironomid fauna across diverse freshwater habitats. Their study, like ours, underscores the dominance of the Chironominae subfamily, while also noting a relatively lower richness within the Prodiamesinae subfamily.

According to the latest data on Lithuanian non-biting midge species (Pakalniškis et al. 2006, Ruginis 2007, Móra and Kovács 2009), our research contributes significantly to the understanding of the biodiversity within the Chironomidae family in Lithuania. The discovery of several species and genera new to Lithuania underscores the richness of the region's chironomid fauna and highlights the potential for further entomological exploration. By identifying a substantial proportion of the known Orthocladiinae genera and species, our study sheds light on the ecological complexity and diversity of this subfamily. The identification of new species and genera within the Chironominae and Tanypodinae subfamilies further enhances the existing taxonomic knowledge and provides a valuable foundation for future ecological and environmental studies. These findings not only expand the taxonomic records, but also offer insights into the distribution and ecological roles of these subfamilies in Lithuanian freshwater ecosystems.

Considering the research on Chironomidae conducted in neighbouring countries, it becomes evident that the faunistic knowledge of non-biting midges in Lithuania is relatively limited. In Europe, there are over 190 genera and more than 1260 species of Chironomidae (Paasivirta 2014, Serra et al. 2016, Serra et al. 2017). Germany, in particular, is known for extensive Chironomidae research, with significant efforts concentrated in the Land of Brandenburg (Orendt 2018). While major studies have been conducted in Brandenburg, research has also been carried out in other regions of Germany (Orendt 2000, Brunke 2004, Orendt et al. 2014). Currently, over 165 genera and 780 species of Chironomidae are known in Germany, although there is still a need for further investigation (Chimeno et al. 2022, Chimeno et al. 2023).

Poland has also made significant contributions to Chironomidae research, with studies covering diversity, ecology, biology and other related areas (Płóciennik 2009, Płóciennik et al. 2015, Płóciennik et al. 2018, Leszczyńska et al. 2019, Pleskot et al. 2019, Głowacki et al. 2023). More than 420 species of Chironomidae are known in Poland (Płóciennik 2009). Ukraine, another country in the region where research on Chironomidae has been conducted since the early 20th century, still faces a significant lack of comprehensive study (Baranov 2011). Despite numerous surveys and the documentation of over 300 Chironomidae species, recent investigations have identified 40 additional species and one new genus, suggesting that the research remains incomplete (Baranov 2011, Bitušík et al. 2024). In the Baltic States of Latvia and Estonia, the level of faunistic knowledge of Chironomidae is similar to Lithuania, with a relatively low number of known species (Spuņģis and Kalniņš 2003). This indicates a general trend of limited research in the region regarding non-biting midges.

According to data from Finland, their national Chironomidae assemblage is extensively researched, with over 780 species of non-biting midges currently documented. However, the dynamic nature of changing climate is impacting the diversity, leading to fluctuations in species composition, with several chironomids already listed on the Red List of Finnish Species (Paasivirta 2014, Engels et al. 2019, Hyvärinen et al. 2019). In Sweden, approximately 900 species of Chironomidae are known, which accounts for more than 70% of the total number of Chironomidae species documented in Europe and the country is one of the regional leaders in the research of this group (SLU Swedish Species Information Centre 2024). Norway is another country in the region actively involved in Chironomidae research, with ongoing studies conducted even in challenging environments such as Svalbard and Jan Mayen. More than 70 species of chironomids are currently known in these areas, contributing to a total of over 650 species of Chironomidae documented in Norway (Elven and Søli 2016, Stur and Ekrem 2020).

Based on the rarefaction results analysis, we can conclude that the detection of non-biting midges in the six streams was effective. Although the NMDS analysis revealed significant overlap in genus composition between dammed and non-dammed streams, this does not imply that dams have no impact on Chironomidae diversity and ecology. In conclusion, the understanding of Chironomidae diversity in Lithuania is still evolving. By leveraging the insights gleaned from neighbouring countries, there is the urgent need for Lithuania to continue its research efforts. This should extend beyond the borders of our country, encompassing regional and global initiatives aimed at conserving biodiversity and grappling with the challenges posed by environmental shifts on non-biting midge communities and populations. It would not only enrich the scientific landscape of Lithuania, but also contribute meaningfully to the collective endeavour of safeguarding our natural heritage for future generations.

Acknowledgements

F. L. da Silva was supported by fellowships of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP - 2016/07039–8, 2018/01507–5, 2019/25567–0, 2021/08464–2), which allowed contribution to the preparation of the present manuscript.

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