A SYSTEMATIC REAPPRAISAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN APHROTENIINAE (DIPTERA, CHIRONOMIDAE) WITH DATING FROM VICARIANCE BIOGEOGRAPHY

The chironomid subfamily Aphroteniinae is revised for the Australian fauna. The larval-based genus Anaphrotenia Brundin is synonymized with Aphroteniella Brundin, and Anaphrotenia lacustris Brundin with Aphroteniella filicornis Brundin, and all stages redescribed and illustrated. A second Australian species, Aphroteniella tenuicornis Brundin, has been reared and the larva is described and the pupa and male redescribed here. Paraphrotenia fascipennis Brundin, previously known only from the Australian type locality, is reported from a second site. The pupa and previously undescribed female adult are described and figured. Aphrotenia Brundin, previously known only from Cape Province, South Africa, is recorded from Australia through Aphrotenia australiensis, newly described here and taking the authorship of Hergstrom. An unreared and unnamed larva of Aphrotenia is described and figured. Aphrotenia, and thus the subfamily, can be dated through a vicariance paradigm substantiated by a Cretaceous fossil record, to a minimum of 120 m.y.b.p. Keys are given to larva, pupa and adults of the Australian Aphroteniinae.