DNA-sequence-based species delimitation for larval chironomid samples collected from Japanese farm ponds

Abstract

DNA-sequence-based species delimitation methods were applied to larval chironomid samples collected from 20 Japanese farm ponds. This is the first trial using DNA barcoding to reveal the species composition of chironomid communites in limnological waters. A total of 72 species were delimited from mitochondria DNA cytochrome c oxidase I sequences of the samples. Of these, the number of species delimited from the total sample, bottom sediment sample, and aquatic weed sample of each pond, were 0-21, 0-15 and 3-16, respectively. Greater numbers of collected larvae resulted in more delimited species. Scientific names were assigned for 31 species.