Community structure and phenology of chironomids (Insecta: Chironomidae) in a Patagonian Andean stream

In this paper, we studied the assemblage of Chironomidae from headwaters of Ñireco stream by recording drifting pupal exuviae caught in the debris close to the shore. Samples were collected in three stations along 18 km of the stream every 2 weeks during spring-summer months and monthly during autumn-winter over a year. A total of 15949 exuviae were collected and 55 taxa were identified. The most abundant taxa were Cricotopus spp. with highest numbers of exuviae recorded in each station over the study period. Subfamily Orthocladiinae was the most abundant taxa, followed by Chironominae and Podonominae. The emergence period in the stream occurred between December 1998 and March 1999. Most of the dominant and frequent species were univoltine. The emergence peaks at each sampling station occurred at the highest temperature of the water recorded.