---

Hi, everyone
I wish to know if the colour of a Orthocladiinae larva is a specific features that could help for its determination
I found this larvae (there wer a lot of its) in acidic water of a sphagnum marsh (pH 4 )
and I already could say that this is a Orthocladiinae larvae
but to go further... the colour ? What's is th nature of this colour ?



thank you
SDS

---

I think this is Metriocnemus, some species do have these purple coloration. I also think I see short antenna, which fit for Metriocnemus too

---

Merci beaucoup
can we go further with these pictures



(short antenna)







Are Metriocnemus hygropetricus or
Metriocnemus cavicola

possible ?

Nevertheless, I'm already happy
SDS

SDS

---

---

hey
this is a new brand clip video about these larvae

YouTube Video


cordialement
SDS

---

It might be worth checking whether these magnificent colours are due to an iridovirus, although I understand that studies on chironomids attacked by iridoviruses show that they do not normally display the bright colours that other invertebrates do. (See p.256 of Yoshinori Tanada, ‎Harry K. Kaya - 2012 - Insect Pathology.)

---

This is the typical color pattern within Metriocnemus hygropeticus agg. I have never seen any other colorpattern within this complex
So I don't think it's a virus.