Description of Kaniwhaniwhanus gen. n. (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) from New Zealand

Abstract

Kaniwhaniwhanus gen. n. is described for the first time from New Zealand. Diagnoses of the male imago, pupa, and larva are presented. Kaniwhaniwhanus can be distinguished by a combination of hairy eyes, pigmented wings, presence of bare anal point, and absence of inferior volsella in the male imago; the absence of a thoracic horn, presence of anteriorly directed comb‐like hooklets on abdominal tergites TII‐TV, evenly distributed shagreen on posterior abdomen tergites, and the absence of anal macrosetae in the pupa; and by a 4‐segmented antenna, broad single tooth of mentum with four pairs of lateral teeth, and the presence of paired medio‐lateral lobes of the mentum in the larva. Kaniwhaniwhanus appears to be monotypic and is designated by the type species, Kaniwhaniwhanus chapmani. Larvae of Kaniwhaniwhanus chapmani are known from North Island streams and have been recorded from Lake Grasmere in the South Island.

Keywords:

• Diptera
• Insecta
• Chironomidae
• Orthocladiinae
• taxonomy
• biosystematics
• Kaniwhaniwhanus