Abstract |
Larvae of Djalmabatista pulcher (Johannsen) possessing abnormally-shaped ligulas were found in abandoned coal strip mine ponds near Brilliant, Alabama. Of the total 1472 larvae examined, 50 possessed an abnormal ligula (3.4%), a frequency greater than previously reported for chironomids. Abnormalities were found in larval instars II, III, and IV. Based on monthly samples from June to October 1978, the combined frequency of abnormalities in three strip mine ponds (3.04%) was not significantly different from the frequency at the unmined reference site, Marion County Lake (1.85%) (P = 0.36). The frequencies of abnormalities were not significantly correlated with any measured water quality of biological parameter related to strip mine activity. (ERA citation 09:000093) |