Chironomidae bloodworms larvae as aquatic amphibian food

Abstract

Different species of chironomids larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae) so-called bloodworms are widely distributed in the sediments of all types of freshwater habitats and considered as an important food source for amphibians. In our study, three species of Chironomidae (Baeotendipes noctivagus, Benthalia dissidens, and Chironomus riparius) were identified in 23 samples of larvae from Belgium, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine provided by a distributor in Belgium. We evaluated the suitability of these samples as amphibian food based on four different aspects: the likelihood of amphibian pathogens spreading, risk of heavy metal accumulation in amphibians, nutritive value, and risk of spreading of zoonotic bacteria (Salmonella, Campylobacter, and ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae). We found neither zoonotic bacteria nor the amphibian pathogens Ranavirus and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in these samples. Our data showed that among the five heavy metals tested (Hg, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn), the excess level of Pb in two samples and low content of Zn in four samples implicated potential risk of Pb accumulation and Zn inadequacy. Proximate nutritional analysis revealed that, chironomidae larvae are consistently high in protein but more variable in lipid content. Accordingly, variations in the lipid: protein ratio can affect the amount and pathway of energy supply to the amphibians. Our study indicated although environmentally-collected chironomids larvae may not be vectors of specific pathogens, they can be associated with nutritional imbalances and may also result in Pb bioaccumulation and Zn inadequacy in amphibians. Chironomidae larvae may thus not be recommended as single diet item for amphibians.

Fungal Treatment and Wheat Straw Blend for Enhanced Animal Feed from Olive Pulp

“…We determined crude protein (CP) content according to the Kjeldahl × 6.25 method and crude fat (CF) content using the Soxhlet method (Sharifian Fard et al, 2014). Calcium and Copper were anlysed base on Hitchen and Zechanowitsch method (1980).…”

Diversity Analysis of Adult Chironomidae in the Lake Victoria Basin of Kenya

“…Chironomids, which belong to the order Diptera and the family Chironomidae, are an important food resource for fish, amphibians, dragonfly larvae, birds, bats, and spiders (Niemi et al, 1999, Wardiatno and Krisanti, 2013, Sharifian Fard et al, 2014. The chironomids are also an important tool in ecological and paleo-ecological studies, as well as in environmental evaluation, agricultural entomology, and public-health research (Rosenberg, 1992, Ferrarese, 1992, Armitage et al, 1995.…”

Chironomidae: Biology, Ecology and Systematics

“…Chironomidae are holometabolous insects, their larvae, pupae and adults form an integral part of the trophic chain serving as food for other invertebrates, fish, birds and amphibians [8,9]. The larval and pupal stages are generally subservient to aquatic habitats while the adults are aerial and often collected at more or less distances from their emergence habitats.…”