A Study of the Morphological Structure of Chironomidae (Diptera) in a Tropical Urban Polluted Water System

Author(s): Ajeagah Gideon Aghaindum, Enah Dickson Achuo, Foto Menbohan Samuel

In this study, theOlezoa stream in Yaounde was assessed todetermine the morphological structure of Chironomid genera that are present in the aquatic ecosystem. The biological analysis revealed a lowdiversity of larva andpupalexuviae. The tribe of Chironomini revealed 03 genera which are: Chironomus, Goeldichironomus and Nilothauma. The chironomidae developmental stages exhibit a variety of adaptations in polluted areas which could be: morphological, physiological and behavioral all of them occurring simultaneously within each developmental form and the different genera. Gelatinous egg masses which were found floating on the surface of water or attached to the aquatic vegetation of Obili Lake have an elongated- ribbon like shape. Each mass possesses an average of 50 ± 7 egg rows arranged linearly; with each egg row containing an average of 16.8 ± 1 eggs. Each egg has an oval shape with a characteristic brown colour. It measures between 4.32-4.96mm in length with an average length of 4.73±0.25mm in the samples assessed.

Chironomid, Olezoa Stream, Larva Instars, Pupal Exuviae

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