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First record of podonominae larvae living phoretically on the shells of the water snail Chilina dombeyana (Diptera: Chironomidae / Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae)

Abstract:

Larvae of Podonomus albinervis Edwards, 1931 were found phoretic on Gastropoda Chilina dombeyana (Bruigière, 1789) on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, in Bariloche, Argentina. Larvae were attached with mucus and some had developed a tube made of detritus on the spire of the snail shell. Adults and pupae with associated larval exuviae were found, which helped to identify the species. Approximately 10% of the snail individuals examined on the shores of the lake had chironomid larvae on their shells. Laboratory observations showed that the midge larvae leave the snail shell when the snail leaves the water, thus demonstrating the phoretic relationship. The high density of both snails and Chironomidae in the littoral habitats of the lake may explain this phoretic relationship.