• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.286-294
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• 2020

The Chironomus(Diptera: Chironomidae) is a freshwater benthic invertebrate that is an important indicator organism used for environmental pollution and water quality monitoring. In this study, we performed morphological classification and genetic species identification using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene on mitochondrial DNA for an accurate species classification of Chironomus larvae found in tap water purification plants in Incheon, Korea. Twenty larvae in six water purification plants consist of four species, including twelve Chironomus kiiensis, six Chironomus flaviplumus, one Chironomus dorsalis, and one Polypedilum yongsanensis (not included Genus Chironomus). Morphological characteristics of each larvae were identified based on the head capsule, the mentum, the mandible, the antenna, and the claw. Based on the COI sequences of 21 individuals of 17 Chironomus species registered in NCBI Genbank, phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 20 individuals investigated in this study consist of the same clade with corresponding species of the high homology (99~100%) including C. kiiensis, C. flaviplumus, C. dorsalis, and P. yongsanensis. These results will be used as main classification indicator for monitoring freshwater ecosystems by providing integrated morphological and genetic information for the species identification of Korean Chironomus.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2015

Chironomous is aquatic insect belonging to order Diptera, family Chironomidae. Their larval stage can be found mainly in aquatic benthic environment, hence good model organism to study environmental toxicology assessments and consider as useful bio indicators of contamination of the aquatic environment. In this study, Chironomus Heat Shock Proteins, Cytochrome 450, Glutathione S-transferase, Serine-type endopeptidase gene expressions were compared between polluted field areas (Chironomus plumosus) and under laboratory conditions (Chironomus riparious) to investigate molecular indicators for environmental contaminant stress assessment. Heavy metal (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Zn, Se, Pb, As, Cd) concentrations in sediments collected from three study areas exceeded the reference values. Moreover, HSPs, CYP450 and GST gene expression except SP for C. plumosus showed higher expression than C. riparious gene expression. Similar gene expression pattern was observed in C. riparious that exposed environment waters up to 96 h when compared to C. plumosus exposed to waters that grown in lab conditions. In summary, this comparative gene expression analysis in Chironomous between field and laboratory condition gave useful information to select candidate molecular indicators in heavy metal contaminations in the environment.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2005

In order to identify potential biomarkers of environmental monitoring, we evaluated heat shock genes expressions as effects of various environmental pollutants (nonylphenol, bisphenol-A, 17a­ethynyl estradiol, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, endosulfan, paraquat dichloride, chloropyriphos, fenitrothion, cadmium chloride, lead nitrate, potassium dichromate, benzo[a]pyrene and carbon tetrachloride) on larvae of aquatic midge Chironomus tentans (Diptera, Chironomidae). Heat shock protein 70 gene expression increased in most of chemicals treated larvae compared to control. The response was rapid and sensitive to low chemical concentrations but not stressor specific. In conjunction with stressor specific biomarkers, heat shock protein 70 gene expression in Chironomus might be developed for assessing exposure to environmental stressors in the fresh water ecosystem. Considering the potential of Chironomus larvae as biomonitoring species, heat shock gene expression has a considerable potential as a sensitive biomarker for environmental monitoring in Chironomus.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.80-86
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Pesticides is exposed in an aquatic environment and effected to benthic animals. Especially, sediment-associated pesticides is required for determination of sediment toxicity on aquatic organisms. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of six pesticides (chlorfluazuron, difenoconazole, dithianon, flufenoxuron, flutianil, pendimethalin) on Chironomus riparius in aquatic ecosystems. METHODS AND RESULTS: Chlorfluazuron, difenoconazole, dithianon, flufenoxuron, flutianil and pendimethalin were used as a model compounds, which have a sediment-associated potential ($K_{oc}$>3). Acute and chronic toxicity tests on Chironomus riparius were performed at six concentrations of each pesticide with four replicates of each based on OECD test guideline 235 and 218. The calculated 48-h $EC_{50}$ values of chlorfluazuron, flutianil, pendimethalin, difenoconazole, dithianon and flufenoxuron were 6.72, 2.55, 2.27, 0.77, 0.30 and 0.11 mg/L, respectively. Flufenoxuron was the lowest 48-h $EC_{50}$ value in this study. The No Observed Effective Concentration (NOEC) and the Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC) of flufenoxuron for Chironomus riparius in 28-days test were 30 and $60{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pesticides of the sediment-associated have the potential effect for Chironomus riparius in aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, sediment toxicity assessment of these pesticides should be further investigated to evaluate the impact to benthic organisms.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 1999

The midge Chironomus riparius is a member of widespread dipteran insect which has been used for sediment toxicity test. The 2nd-3rd larvae Chironomus riparius were exposed to $^{14}C$-lambda-cyhalothrin in laboratory water only system(A) and sediment-water system(B) at $20{\pm}2^{\circ}C$. The concentration was nominally in the range of 0.16 to $20{\mu}g/{\ell}$ and 62.5 to 8000 ${\mu}g/kg$, respectively. System(A) was prepared by applying the chemical to 250 ml water and introducing Chironomus riparius larvae into the system(day 0). System(B) was prepared by applying the chemical to the 25 g of soil and 250 ml water and shaking and rolling them for two hours. After allowing the system to settle for two days, Chironomus riparius larvae were introduced into the system. After 72 hours, the two systems were terminated and dead larvae were observed. The measurement of residue in water was conducted at the start(day 0) and the end of the study(day 3). The residue of $^{14}C$-lambda-cyhalothrin in water was accounted for approximately 65% of nominal concentration in system(A) and $0.2{\sim}0.4%$ in system) on 3 days. $LC_{50}$ was less than $0.156{\mu}g/{\ell}$ in system(A) and 889 ${\mu}g/kg$ in system(B), based on the nominally applied concentration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Entomolohy Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.95-95
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• 2005

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2001

Effects of exposure to a neurotoxicant, fenitrothion on antioxidant enzyme activities in Chironomus riparius Mg. (Diptera, Chironomidae) larvae were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Exposure to this chemical led to an increase of cupper, zinc type superoxide dismutase and manganese type superoxide dismutase activities and to a decrease of glutathion peroxidase activity. An activation of catalase was observed in the larvae exposed to high fenitrothion concentration. The response of superoxide dismutase was rapid and sensitive to low chemical concentrations, but changes in catalase, total peroxidase and glutathion peroxidase were less sensitive. In this study, antioxidant enzyme activities in Chironomus riparius larvae were identified as pertinent biomarkers for environmental monitoring.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.277-284
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• 2008

The ecotoxicological effects of 4-tert-octylphenol were observed on non-biting midge, Chironomus plumosus collected from Anyang stream in Seoul. The survival rate and adult emergence rate on C. plumosus exposed to octylphenol were not significantly affected. However, 4-tert-octylphenol induced developmental delay and disrupted sex ratio in high concentration of octylphenol. The mouth deformity such as tooth deletion or fusion in mentum, and tooth deletion in mandible were observed exposure to 4-tert-octylphenol. The deformity type of the mentum showed deletion (LT, 6.7%), and fusion (LT, 6.3%). Moreover, tooth deletion of mandible was observed in 4-tert-octylphenol treated groups (6.7%, 3 ppm).

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2003

In the study of population dynamics of non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) emerging from reclaimed rice fields in Seosan, Chungchongnam-do, Korea, a new species, Tanytarsus seosanensis sp. nov. and an unrecorded species from Korea, Chironomus javonus (Kieffer) were found. T.seosonensis was the third dominant species among the non-biting midges found in the reclaimed rice fields, whereas C.javanus was a rare species. They are fully described with illustrations.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2024

Chironomus is a large genus of Diptera comprising about 400 species and occurs worldwide except for Antarctica. The strong morphological cross-taxon similarity of chironomid larvae renders identification at the species level difficult. Here, we analyzed the morphology of larvae of Chironomus flaviplumus, an easily cultured species employed as a bioindicator in polluted environments, to determine identifying morphological characteristics at the first through fourth instar. Observed differences appearing at each instar include the presence or absence of setae on the body and tubules on the 10^th and 11^th body segment, the number of seta interna in the mandible, and the presence or absence of ring organs in the antennae. Some specific morphological characteristics did not change after hatching. Our findings provide a reliable method for identifying C. flaviplumus larvae.