Female and immature stages of Oukuriella epleri Messias & Fittkau, 1997, a freshwater sponge-dwelling Chironomidae

Abstract

Female, pupa, and larva of Oukuriella epleri Messias & Fittkau, 1997 are described and figured. The larvae were collected in freshwater-sponges from Amazonia. We also provide an emended diagnosis for the genus.

Keywords:

• Oukuriella
• Chironomidae
• Diptera
• Neotropics
• Brazil

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Neusa Hamada and Dr. Cecilia Volkmer Ribeiro for incentivising our study with chironomids in freshwater sponges. We also thank Dr. John H. Epler and an anonymous referee for corrections and suggestions on the manuscript. The State of São Paulo Research Foundation sponsored this work within the BIOTA/FAPESP – The Biodiversity Virtual Institute Program (www.biotasp.org.br).