The Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae of Atherton Tableland Lakes, north Queensland

The invertebrate biota of the benthos of lakes can provide an historical record of ecological (including climate) change through their preserved record in dated sediments. Such records are available through the remains of Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae recovered from lake sediments. However, to interpret the palaeo-assemblages recovered, the modern biota must be known and identifiable. Here we review, provide notes and offer an illustrated identification guide to the larval stages of Chironomidae revealed by surveys of three major Atherton Tableland lakes (Barrine, Eacham and Euramoo). Genera can be identified from variably incomplete palaeomaterial and can convey much information: here we report 8 genera belonging to the subfamily Tanypodinae, 2 to the Orthocladiinae, and 20 to Chironominae. Some are monotypic; in several genera named species can be recognised, whereas in others species-level diversity cannot be established on the basis of larval morphology. Larvae clearly identifiable as belonging to Parakiefferiella, requires an expansion of the existing generic diagnoses in having a bifid SI seta and 3-4 short setae in a ventromental beard. Distributions outside the immediate area tend to be northern Australian to Asian, with little or no evidence of cool/mesotherm, southern-connected (temperate 'Gondwanan') taxa.