Laboratory of entomology
The Entomology Group of the Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet Limnology Institute is dedicated to studying the biodiversity of Argentina’s aquatic entomofauna, with a special focus on insects of the Culicomorpha group (Diptera). Our work includes both the systematic evaluation of insects and the analysis of their biodiversity in relation to their distribution along different environmental gradients.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We focus on the study of aquatic entomofauna biodiversity, particularly within the Culicomorpha (Diptera) group, with a special emphasis on the Chironomidae family. We analyze their relationship with the environment from an ecological, systematic, and biogeographic perspective.
RESEARCH LINES
- Systematics of Chironomidae (Diptera: Culicomorpha):
• Phylogenetic analyses based on morphological and molecular characteristics.
• Systematic reviews and descriptions of new species.
• Development of regional identification keys and species inventories.
• Biogeographic recording and analysis of the distribution of these insects.
- Ecological studies and bioindicators:
• We explore the presence of chironomids in various aquatic environments.
• We assess their response to environmental disturbance gradients.
• We identify indicator species for water quality assessment.
CAMPAIGN AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES
Chironomide sampling with driftnets
MEMBERS
Gustavo Spinelli
Mariano Donato
Augusto Siri
Juan Pablo Zanotto Arpellino
Publications
– Donato, M., Mauad, M. & Siri, A. 2024. New species of Bryophaenocladius Thienemann, 1934 (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Argentina. Zootaxa 5448, 283–29. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5448.2.8
– Donato M., Zanotto Arpellino J.P., Siri A. 2023. Revision of the species described in Metriocnemus van der Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae) by Edwards (1931), with the description of two new species. Journal of Natural History 57: 904–923. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2215952
– Zanotto Arpellino J.P., Saigo M., Montalto L., Donato M. 2023. Larvae and pupae as indicators of anthropic disturbances: use of traits. Hydrobiologia 850: 4293-4309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-023-05305-4.
-Dantas, Galileu P. S.; Siri, Augusto; Hamada, Neusa. 2023. A new species of Macropelopia Thienemann, 1916 (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Southern Brazil. ZOOTAXA, 5306 (5): 551 – 562.
– Paggi, A.; Donato, M.; Siri, A.; Claps, L.E.; Roig-Juñent, S.; Morrone, J.J. 2023. Chironomidae. Biodiversidad de Artrópodos Argentinos. INSUE UNT Ediciones. p248 – 285. Isbn 978-987-754-342-1
– Ocon C., Siri A., Altieri P., Donato M. 2023. Functional feeding groups of Chironomidae (Diptera: Nematocera) and their spatial variation in an intermittent hill stream (Ventana Stream, Buenos Aires, Argentina). An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc. 95:e20191316. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202320191316
– Zanotto Arpellino, J. P., Rodríguez Catanzaro, L. N. S, Montalto, L., Siri, A. & Donato, M. 2022. Diversity, phenology and voltinism of Chironomidae (Diptera). neotropical streams as a study model. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências. 94(4): e20200314. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202220200314
– Gostel, M.R., Sancho, G., Roque, N., Donato, M., Funk, Vicki.A. 2022. Phylogenomic loci define the generic boundaries of Gochnatieae and improve resolution at the species level in Moquiniastrum (Compositae), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 175. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107558
– Donato, M.; Andersen, T. 2022. A new species of Goeldichironomus Fittkau, 1965 from Argentina (Chironomidae, Chironominae). Zootaxa 5092 (1): 143–150. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5092.1.9
– Siri, A.; Donato, M.; Spaccesi, F.; Zanotto Arpellino, J. P.; Rodriguez Catanzaro, L.; Mauad, M. (2022) Composition and structure of the Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) assemblage of Ventania hill system streams (Argentina) along an altitudinal gradient. Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina 81: 11–28. https://doi.org/10.25085/rsea.810202
– Zanotto Arpellino, J. P.; Montalto, L.; Donato, M. 2022. Clave para la identificación de Chironomidae (Diptera) de la ecorregión Tributarios del río Paraná y Río de la Plata mediante la utilización de exuvias pupales. Biología Acuática 39, e029. https://doi.org/10.24215/16684869e029
– Díaz, F.; Spinelli, G. R.; Ferreira-Keppler, R.; Donato, M.; Ronderos, M. M. 2021. First description of larvae of Paryphoconus Enderlein with a new species from Brazilian Amazonia and phylogenetic placement of the genus based on immature stages (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Zoologischer Anzeiger 291: 79-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2021.02.005
– Donato, M., J. P. Z. Arpellino, & A. Siri. 2020. Description of the pupa of Tanytarsus alatus Paggi (1992) (Chironominae: Tanytarsini). CHIRONOMUS Journal of Chironomidae Research 33. https://doi.org/10.5324/cjcr.v0i33.3350. Inglés.
– Cortelezzi, A., M. V. Simoy, A. Siri, M. Donato, R. E. Cepeda, C. B. Marinelli & I. Berkunsky. 2020. New insights on bioindicator value of Chironomids by using occupancy modelling. Ecological Indicators 117: 106619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106619. Inglés.
– Rodrigues Capítulo, A., L. Armendáriz, A. Siri, P. Altieri, C. Ocon, L. Rodríguez Catanzaro, J.P. Zanotto Arpellino, M. Rodríguez & M. Donato. 2020. Caracterización estructural y funcional de los macroinvertebrados en los bañados de desborde fluvial del área pampeana. Biología Acuática 35. https://doi.org/10.24215/16684869e015. Español.