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First report of Simuliidae and Chironomidae (Diptera)
living on nymphs of Lachlania Hagen (Ephemeroptera:
Oligoneuriidae) in South America
Pepinelli, M. et al.
Biota Neotrop. 2009, 9(1): 245-247.
On line version of this paper is available from:
http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v9n1/en/abstract?short-communication+bn00509012009
A versão on-line completa deste artigo está disponível em:
http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v9n1/pt/abstract?short-communication+bn00509012009
Data Received/ Recebido em 13/09/08 -
Revised/ Versão reformulada recebida em 15/12/08 - Accepted/ Publicado em 01/01/09
ISSN 1676-0603 (on-line)

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Biota Neotrop., vol. 9, no. 1, Jan./Mar. 2009
First report of Simuliidae and Chironomidae (Diptera) living on nymphs of
Lachlania Hagen (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae) in South America
Mateus Pepinelli1,4, Tadeu Siqueira2, Frederico Falcão Salles3 & Eduardo Mitio Shimbori2
1Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática, Departamento de Biologia,
Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo – USP,
Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Monte Alegre, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
2Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos – UFSCar,
Rod. Washington Luís, Km 235, CEP 13656-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
3Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Biológicas e Agrárias, Centro Universitário do Norte do Espírito Santo,
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – UFES,
Rua Humberto de Almeida Franklin, 25, Universitário, CEP 29933-480, São Mateus, ES, Brazil
4Corresponding author: Mateus Pepinelli, e-mail: mateuspepi@yahoo.com.br
PEPINELLI, M., SIQUEIRA, T., SALLES, F.F. & SHIMBORI, E.M. First report of Simuliidae and Chironomidae
(Diptera) living on nymphs of Lachlania Hagen (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae) in South America. Biota
Neotrop. 9(1): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v9n1/en/abstract?short-communication+bn00509012009.
Abstract: We report cases of Simuliidae and Chironomidae living on Lachlania nymphs (Ephemeroptera).
This is the first record of these associations in South America. Simulium exiguum (pupae and larvae), Simulium
cuasiexiguum (larvae), Cricotopus sp. (larva) and Rheotanytarsus sp. (larva) were found associated with Lachlania
nymphs. We believe that all of these associations can be classified as opportunistic (or casual) attachment.
Keywords: aquatic insects, neotropical region, association, black fly, mayfly.
PEPINELLI, M., SIQUEIRA, T., SALLES, F.F. & SHIMBORI, E.M. Primeiro registro de Simuliidae e
Chironomidae (Diptera) vivendo sobre ninfas de Lachlania Hagen (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae)
na América do Sul. Biota Neotrop. 9(1): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v9n1/pt/abstract?short-
communication+bn00509012009.
Resumo: Este é o primeiro registro de associações entre imaturos de Simuliidae e Chironomidae vivendo sobre
ninfas do gênero Lachlania (Ephemeroptera) na América do Sul. Simulium exiguum (pupas e larvas), Simulium
cuasiexiguum (larvas), Cricotopus sp. (larva) and Rheotanytarsus sp. (larva) foram coletadas vivendo sobre/aderidas
a ninfas de Lachlania. Apesar de existirem algumas espécies que vivem, obrigatoriamente, sobre ninfas e larvas
de outros insetos aquáticos, no presente estudo estas associações podem ser classificadas como casuais.
Palavras-chave: insetos aquáticos, região neotropical, associação, borrachudo, foresia.

246
Pepinelli, M. et al.
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Biota Neotrop., vol. 9, no. 1, Jan./Mar. 2009
Introduction
Associations of aquatic insects, especially Simuliidae and
Chironomidae, with nymphs of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) have
been documented by several authors (e.g. Corbet 1960, Crosskey
1965, 1990, Disney 1971a, 1971b, 1973, De Moor 1999, Callisto &
Goulart 2000, Caldwell & Wiersema 2002, Roque et al. 2004).
Regarding Simuliidae, two types of association are reported: ob-
ligate phoresy and opportunistic (or casual) attachment. Obligate
phoresy has been reported in 28 species of Simuliidae living on
Ephemeroptera nymphs or decapod crustaceans. The larvae of
phoretic species exhibit adaptive modifications to live on the bod-
ies of those arthropods (Crosskey 1990). In contrast, opportunistic
attachment occurs as the product of chance encounters (Crosskey
1990). Despite the few records of larvae and pupae of non-phoretic
black flies living on bodies of other animals, in most cases the as-
sociation between black fly species and mayfly nymphs is described
as obligate phoresy. Moreover, all of these records are restricted to
Africa and Asia (Crosskey 1990).
Recently, Roque et al. (2004) published a review on inter-
actions between Chironomidae and other aquatic animals in Brazil.
They present an updated list of records of chironomids living on
aquatic organisms in Brazil and discuss the difficulties of studying
chironomid-host interactions. Despite this recent effort in investi-
gating these interactions, there are only two records of chironomid
larvae living on nymphs of mayflies in Brazil, both of the family
Leptophlebiidae (Callisto & Goulart 2000, Roque et al. 2004). To
our knowledge, there are no records from Brazil or even South
America on interactions or associations between Simuliidae and
Ephemeroptera.
Material and Methods
The nymphs of Lachlania were collected at the Pardo and
Aguapeí Rivers, both in the State of São Paulo (Southeastern
Brazil) during a field survey in April and August of 2004. The
material was deposited in the Museu de Zoologia, Universidade
de São Paulo.
Aquatic insects were hand collected directly from the substrate
(stems, roots and leaves).
Results and Discussion
In this paper, we report the occurrence of larvae and pupae of
Simuliidae and larvae of Chironomidae living on mayfly nymphs of
the genus Lachlania Hagen (Oligoneuriidae) in Brazil.
Four larvae and two pupae of Simuliidae and two larvae
of Chironomidae living on Lachlania nymphs were collected
( Table 1). All cases of association between black flies and nymphs
of Lachlania were observed in the field, and specimens were pre-
served in separate vials. Since black fly larvae dislodge easily from
the body of the nymphs when fixed and transported, we present
a photographic record (Figures 1 and 2) of Lachlania nymphs
that were carrying pupae of Simulium exiguum Roubaud and two
Chironomidae larvae. The larva and pupa of Simulium exiguum and
Simulium cuasiexiguum Shelley, Luna Dias, Maia Herzog & Lowry
usually live on submerged deciduous leaves and roots, and on leaves
of the streamside vegetation (Pepinelli et al. 2006).
Although specimens in this study were not collected quantitatively,
there is evidence to suggest that the association between mayflies
and simuliids occurs at relatively low frequencies. We collected
27 Lachlania nymphs in the Pardo River and only one had a pair of
Simulium exiguum pupae attached (Figures 1, 2). In contrast, more than
100 larvae and pupae of the same species of black fly were found at-
tached to submerged stems, roots and leaves at the same site. Similarly,
we collected 19 Lachlania nymphs in the Aguapeí River and only two
of them contained larvae of black flies attached to their bodies. Once
again, large numbers (>200) of simuliid larvae and pupae were found
attached to submerged stems and roots at the same site.
Phoretic associations of black fly species recorded in the litera-
ture indicate that there are adaptive modifications of morphological
structures which differ conspicuously from those found in typi-
cal non-phoretic species that live on vegetal or mineral substrata
(Crosskey 1990). Without morphological characteristics indicative
of a phoretic habit, it is very difficult to explain these types of as-
sociations or interactions (Roque et al. 2004). We believe that the
two species of Simuliidae and the two species of Chironomidae that
we collected living on Lachlania nymphs constitute a typical case
of opportunistic (or casual) attachment. These dipteran larvae and
pupae use the Oligoneuriidae nymphs as a substrate, since they all
live in running water and attach themselves to stems and roots for
long period remaining stationary.
Table 1. Records of Simuliidae and Chironomidae living on nymphs of Ephemeroptera in Brazilian streams.
Tabela I. Registros de Simuliidae e Chironomidae vivendo sobre ninfas de Ephemeroptera em córregos do Brazil.
Simuliidae/Chironomidae Host Aquatic system, location
(geographical coordinates)
Reference
Simulium exiguum pupae
(Figures 1, 2)
Lachlania Pardo River, São Paulo
(22° 57’ 05” S and 49° 51’ 11” W)
Present study
Simulium exiguum larvae Lachlania Aguapeí River, São Paulo
(21° 27’ 31” S and 50° 55’ 09” W)
Present study
Simulium cuasiexiguum larvae Lachlania Aguapeí River, Lucélia, São Paulo
(21° 27’ 31” S and 50° 55’ 09” W)
Present study
Corynoneura sp. Farrodes Boracéia Stream, São Paulo
(23° 32’ S and 45° 51’ W)
Roque et al. (2004)
Cricotopus sp.
(Figure 1)
Lachlania Pardo River, São Paulo
(22° 57’ 05” S and 49° 51’ 11” W)
Present study
Nanocladius sp. Thraulodes Stream, Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais
(19°-20° S, and 43°-44 °W)
Calisto & Goulart
(2000)
Rheotanytarsus sp.
(Figure 2)
Lachlania Pardo River, São Paulo
(22° 57’ 05” S and 49° 51’ 11” W)
Present study

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Simuliidae and Chironomidae living on nymphs of Ephemeroptera
http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v9n1/en/abstract?short-communication+bn00509012009 http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br
Biota Neotrop., vol. 9, no. 1, Jan./Mar. 2009
Acknowledgements
Jessica van Frankenhuyzen reviewed the manuscript. We thank
Douglas C. Currie for his suggestions on an early version of the
manuscript. The first autor received a Postdoc fellowship from Fapesp
– Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. This work
was supported by BIOTA/Fapesp (process 2007/56574-4).
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Accepted 01/01/09
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a
5,0 mm
Figure 1. Lachlania sp. nymph with two pupae of Simulium exiguum (indicated by the black arrows), one larvae of Cricotopus sp. (indicated by the white
arrow) and one larvae of Rheotanytarsus sp., dorsal view.
Figura 1. Ninfa de Lachlania sp. com duas pupas de Simulium exiguum (indicadas pelas setas escuras), uma larva de Cricotopus sp. (indicada pela seta clara)
e uma larva de Rheotanytarsus sp., vista dorsal.
Figure 2. Lachlania nymph with two pupa (we can see only one in this view) of Simulium exiguum (indicated by the black arrow), one larva of Cricotopus sp.
and one larvae of Rheotanytarsus (indicated by the white arrow), lateral view.
Figura 2. Ninfa de Lachlania sp. com duas pupas (nesta vista é possível ver apenas uma) de Simulium exiguum (indicada pela seta escura), uma larva de
Cricotopus sp. e uma larva de Rheotanytarsus sp. (indicada pela seta clara), vista lateral.
5,0 mm