Seasonal dynamics and life cycle of Heterotrissocladius marcidus (Diptera: Chironomidae) in high altitude lakes (High Tatra Mts, Slovakia)

We estimated the seasonal dynamics and life cycle of the chironomid Heterotrissocladius marcidus (Walker, 1856) in three alpine lakes in the High Tatra Mountains (Central Europe). H. marcidus had univoltine cycle in all lakes surveyed and seasonal changes of density showed an early summer and an autumn peak interrupted by a mid-summer decline of larval abundance. Our results indicate that phenology of H. marcidus is sensitive to thermal regime and local differences in lake water temperature can lead to differences of the life history within the same population.