[Taxacom] Sargasso sea flies (Diptera)

[Torbjørn Ekrem]

This is an interesting thread :-)  - and I second the first part of what 
Martin just wrote. However a good photograph should be sufficient to at 
determine if these are chironomids or not. If they are, our group in 
Trondheim would be very interested in examining a couple of specimens 
and include these in our growing Chironomidae collection. We should be 
able to give you a species name - or at least a genus name if the 
species is unknown to science (which quite a few chironomids still are)

best regards,
Torbjørn

Spies, Martin wrote:
> Richard Heard wrote:
>
>   
>> There is a species chironomid that occurs in reef areas off southern Florida
>> and into the Caribbean to depths of 30+ meters.  The larva of this truly
>> marine species, which has an abbreviated adult stage, is greenish in color
>> rather than reddish as in most other types of chironomid larvae.
>> Unfortunately, I can't think of the genus name at the moment.
>>
>>     
> What you're thinking of is a member of the genus Pontomyia Edwards, 1926 
> that, as far as I recall, hasn't been identified by a scientific species 
> name.
> By the way: If you'll forgive me, the notion that "most ... chironomid 
> larvae" are reddish -- like most generalizations about the Chironomidae 
> -- is an unduly gross generalization.
>
> I do sincerely support the motion, though, that (immature and adult) 
> specimens should be examined by an expert in order to do better than 
> guesswork.
>
> Never mind, and best regards
>
>   

-- 
Dr. Torbjørn Ekrem
Vitenskapsmuseet, NTNU         
Seksjon for naturhistorie      
7491 Trondheim                 

Museum of Natural History and Archaeology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway

Tel: +47 73 59 78 12
Email: Torbjorn.Ekrem at vm.ntnu.no
Web: www.ntnu.no/~torbjoe