Orel O.V.1, Zinchenko T.D.2 2023. Morphology and ecology of Microchironomus deribae (Freeman, 1957) (Diptera, Chironomidae) from the saline rivers of the Elton lake basin (Russia) // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.23. No.4: 207–217 [in English].
1 Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prosp. 100-letiya Vladivostoka 159, Vladivostok 690022 Russia. E-mail: zorina@biosoil.ru; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8924-6856.
2 Samara Federal Research Scientifc Center RAS, Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin, of Russian Academy of Sciences, Komzina Str. 10, Tolyatti 445003 Russia. E-mail: zinchenko.tdz@yandex.ru
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.22.04.05
ABSTRACT. Morphology and ecology of Microchironomus deribae (Freeman, 1957) was examined by material collected in the saline rivers of the Elton Lake basin (Volgogradskaya Oblast, Russia). The species is redescribed and illustrated on the basis of three metamorphic stages (larva, pupa and adult male). Information on distribution and ecology of M. deribae from the saline rivers (total mineralization 4.0–41.4 g/l) of the Elton Lake basin is given too. Microchironomus deribae is a common inhabitant of mesohaline rivers, where larvae prefer silty-sand biotopes. The frequency of occurrence of M. deribae in the Khara, Lantsug, Bolshaya Samoroda Rivers is 25.8–40.4 %. On the basis of modern samplings M. deribae appears to be very abundant in saline eutrophic rivers. Microchironomus deribae accounted for 19–65 % of total abundance of chironomids in benthic communities of rivers with salinity up to 28.6 g/l.
KEY WORDS: Diptera, non-biting midge, Microchironomus deribae, morphology, saline rivers, abiotic factors.