Diversity of the non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in continental salt marshes in Serbia

Abstract

Continental salt marshes represent specific inland saltwater bodies with unique ecological characteristics a fact that is mirrored by specific flora and fauna. However, there is still limited data on their biota in Serbia, which is especially true for aquatic macroinvertebrates, including chironomids (Diptera: Chironomidae). Here we investigated diversity and seasonal variations of chironomid community in six salt marshes distributed in the northern and southern part of Serbia. We recorded a total of 25 species, of which two are new for the Serbian chironomid fauna. Most of the recorded species are common in freshwaters and several of them are halotolerant. Chironomid community structure fluctuated in relation to the seasons. The highest diversity was recorded in the spring and summer months for the majority of studied salt marshes. The present findings should contribute to the knowledge of the faunistic composition of salt marshes in Serbia and provide a basis for future distributional and ecological studies of chironomids.