Morphological redescription and DNA barcoding of Diamesa longipes Goetghebuer, 1941 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Diamesinae) from the Swiss Alps

Morphological redescription of Diamesa longipes Goetghebuer with using syntype from the Ötztal Alps (Tyrol) as well as the adult male and pupa from the Zermatt valley (canton Valais) downstream of the Gornera glacier (Swiss Alps) is provided, and DNA barcoding for specimens from Swiss Alps is studied. Based on the morphology and DNA barcoding using 658-bp fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I, indicate that D. longipes is closely related to Diamesa zagrosica Makarchenko et Semenchenko from Iran.

Mean K2P interspecific distances between D. longipes and D. zagrosica were 4.72% which based on four species’ delimitation approaches (BIN BOLD, ASAP, mPTP, GMYC), confirms that these are valid species. Comments on the geographical distribution and ecology of this rare species in the glacial streams of the Swiss Alps are also given.