DNA sequences and austral taxa indicate generic synonymy of Paratrichocladius Santos-Abreu with Cricotopus Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae)

In the century since the description of the orthoclad genus ParatrichocladiusSantos-Abreu (Diptera: Chironomidae), separation in any life stage from the cosmopolitan, diverse CricotopusWulp has been problematic. Molecular analysis reveals the presence of two species in Australia that conform in morphology to Paratrichocladius and which form a well-supported clade including Paratrichocladius micans (Kieffer) from Africa and a distinct southern African larva. This clade clusters with taxa allied with Cricotopus albitibia (Walker), in turn nested within all other sampled Australian Cricotopus. Relevant nodes strongly support Cricotopus as nonmonophyletic without inclusion of Paratrichocladius. We synonymize Paratrichocladius with Cricotopussyn.n, treating Paratrichocladius as a subgenus. Cricotopus (Paratrichocladius) australiensisCranston sp.n. is described for Trichocladius pluriserialis Freeman from Australia, which is not the same species under that name in New Zealand. Cricotopus (Paratrichocladius) bifenestrusCranston sp.n. from Australia is described, also in all life stages. The many new combinations, listed in an Appendix, include three replacement names for new secondary homonyms, namely: Cricotopus (Paratrichocladius) sinobicinctusCranston & Krosch nom.n. for Paratrichocladius bicinctusFu, Saether & Wang, Cricotopus draysoniCranston & Krosch nom.n. for Cricotopus brevicornisDrayson, Krosch & Cranston, and Cricotopus (Paratrichocladius) sikhotealinusMakarchenko & Makarchenko nom.n. for Cricotopus orientalisKieffer. We conclude with comments on wider issues in the taxonomy of Paratrichocladius, especially concerning New Zealand species. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, .