Luis Moliner Cachazo
@lmolinc.bsky.social
Freshwater Ecologist at Wildfish / Scientific Associate at the NHM. Chironomidae, macroinvertebrates, eDNA. Find many useful links and keys here: https://luismolinercachazo.wixsite.com/luismolinercachazo/resources
Word: ARCTIC
𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘦 is a #non-bitingmidge (Diptera: #Chironomidae) found in glacial & high Arctic environments. Larvae survive entrapment in ice by entering diapause & producing antifreeze proteins & polyols to prevent ice crystal formation inside the cells #fly #scientificdrawing #insect
𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘦 is a #non-bitingmidge (Diptera: #Chironomidae) found in glacial & high Arctic environments. Larvae survive entrapment in ice by entering diapause & producing antifreeze proteins & polyols to prevent ice crystal formation inside the cells #fly #scientificdrawing #insect
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Word: ARCTIC
𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘦 is a #non-bitingmidge (Diptera: #Chironomidae) found in glacial & high Arctic environments. Larvae survive entrapment in ice by entering diapause & producing antifreeze proteins & polyols to prevent ice crystal formation inside the cells #fly #scientificdrawing #insect
𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘦 is a #non-bitingmidge (Diptera: #Chironomidae) found in glacial & high Arctic environments. Larvae survive entrapment in ice by entering diapause & producing antifreeze proteins & polyols to prevent ice crystal formation inside the cells #fly #scientificdrawing #insect
At the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (#SRUKCERU) we've been doing our own #Inktober (with a #scientific twist). I submitted these two drawings of #aquaticmacroinvertebrates! They are very cool bugs! Word: STING. Giant Water Bug (𝘏𝘺𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘦)
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
At the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (#SRUKCERU) we've been doing our own #Inktober (with a #scientific twist). I submitted these two drawings of #aquaticmacroinvertebrates! They are very cool bugs! Word: STING. Giant Water Bug (𝘏𝘺𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘦)
Thames Water rated the worst water company in England by the Environment Agency! after serious pollution incidents. This company goes from one scandal to another! it's time to nationalise it & stop wasting taxpayers' money #waterpollution #thameswater #sewage #pollution #freshwater
October 23, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Thames Water rated the worst water company in England by the Environment Agency! after serious pollution incidents. This company goes from one scandal to another! it's time to nationalise it & stop wasting taxpayers' money #waterpollution #thameswater #sewage #pollution #freshwater
You won't see a map like this very often on iNaturalist! the only record of 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘢 (with its characteristic moustache) in the whole of the UK! non-biting midges (Chironomidae) are extremely underrecorded at species level! #taxonomy #chironomidae #biodiversity
October 8, 2025 at 10:38 PM
You won't see a map like this very often on iNaturalist! the only record of 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢 𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘢 (with its characteristic moustache) in the whole of the UK! non-biting midges (Chironomidae) are extremely underrecorded at species level! #taxonomy #chironomidae #biodiversity
Yesterday, I sampled #macroinvertebrates in the ponds in the #NHM gardens with students from #ImperialCollegeLondon We found several Water Scorpions (𝘕𝘦𝘱𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢), this one didn't waste the time & pierced a small damselfly larva 😅 #freshwater #taxonomy
October 7, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Yesterday, I sampled #macroinvertebrates in the ponds in the #NHM gardens with students from #ImperialCollegeLondon We found several Water Scorpions (𝘕𝘦𝘱𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢), this one didn't waste the time & pierced a small damselfly larva 😅 #freshwater #taxonomy
I really enjoyed #BESAG2025 at ZSL. Very interesting mix of keynote & lightning talks. From the impacts of #climatechange, #cigarettebutts & #petfleatreatments on #aquatic systems, to #biogeochemical and microbial interactions, #carbonsequestration & subterranean invertebrates! all levels covered!
September 17, 2025 at 6:50 AM
I really enjoyed #BESAG2025 at ZSL. Very interesting mix of keynote & lightning talks. From the impacts of #climatechange, #cigarettebutts & #petfleatreatments on #aquatic systems, to #biogeochemical and microbial interactions, #carbonsequestration & subterranean invertebrates! all levels covered!
When #mites (𝘌𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘦) suck sap on the underneath of the leaves of Lime #trees (𝘛𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢 sp.) & release chemicals, they induce the trees to 'entrap' them inside red nail-shaped #galls, common at this time of the year
Credits: 2nd pic: Marty Jopson (Youtube), 3rd pic: Sciencephotolibrary
Credits: 2nd pic: Marty Jopson (Youtube), 3rd pic: Sciencephotolibrary
June 20, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Yesterday, I volunteered for @thames21.bsky.social taking #water samples at 2 locations on the #river Brent. They want to compare the analysis of samples taken by #citizenscientists (measured with Hannah checkers) with lab results. It was fun! & I met one of their volunteers who lives very close 🧪💦
June 7, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Yesterday, I volunteered for @thames21.bsky.social taking #water samples at 2 locations on the #river Brent. They want to compare the analysis of samples taken by #citizenscientists (measured with Hannah checkers) with lab results. It was fun! & I met one of their volunteers who lives very close 🧪💦
Yesterday it was a very nice day out in the New Forest, sampling aquatic #macroinvertebrates with PhD students from the NERC-NHM #freshwater course. We sampled two streams and Hatchet Pond, where some of the rarest #macrophytes in the UK thrive (like Water Purslane, 𝘓𝘶𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴)
May 22, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Yesterday it was a very nice day out in the New Forest, sampling aquatic #macroinvertebrates with PhD students from the NERC-NHM #freshwater course. We sampled two streams and Hatchet Pond, where some of the rarest #macrophytes in the UK thrive (like Water Purslane, 𝘓𝘶𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴)
Two months ago, I took like 30-50 #waterfleas from a #pond and dropped them in our allotment pond. Thanks to the mild weather in the UK, the population has exploded! & they are doing a great job in clearing the water by feeding on the algae!
May 9, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Two months ago, I took like 30-50 #waterfleas from a #pond and dropped them in our allotment pond. Thanks to the mild weather in the UK, the population has exploded! & they are doing a great job in clearing the water by feeding on the algae!
Visiting Osterley House today (West London), I found this big #freshwater #mussel in the pond, about 18 cm long. Probably 𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘤𝘺𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘢 (Swan mussel) #taxonomy
April 19, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Visiting Osterley House today (West London), I found this big #freshwater #mussel in the pond, about 18 cm long. Probably 𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘤𝘺𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘢 (Swan mussel) #taxonomy
This orange sphere is the infective larval stage (cystacanth) of an Acanthocephalan (thorny-headed worm), that has developed in the hemocoel of the Gammarus. The adult stages of these #parasites live in the intestine of the final host (fish and birds) #macroinvertebrate #taxonomy
March 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This orange sphere is the infective larval stage (cystacanth) of an Acanthocephalan (thorny-headed worm), that has developed in the hemocoel of the Gammarus. The adult stages of these #parasites live in the intestine of the final host (fish and birds) #macroinvertebrate #taxonomy
The larva of 𝘌𝘶𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴 (Scarce Black, Stratiomyidae), a rare species associated with ancient woodland. They live in small rot-holes in broadleaved trees, such as beech, ash & oak. I found this one on the Hamble Brook, a very nice chalk stream! #taxonomy #macroinvertebrates #chalkstream
March 15, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The larva of 𝘌𝘶𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴 (Scarce Black, Stratiomyidae), a rare species associated with ancient woodland. They live in small rot-holes in broadleaved trees, such as beech, ash & oak. I found this one on the Hamble Brook, a very nice chalk stream! #taxonomy #macroinvertebrates #chalkstream
This is 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢 sp. (genitalia, tibial spur, last antennal segment) from the Okavango Delta (Botswana). I'm working on several publications about different life stages of non-biting midges in this area #diptera #chironomidae #taxonomy
March 13, 2025 at 10:45 AM
This is 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢 sp. (genitalia, tibial spur, last antennal segment) from the Okavango Delta (Botswana). I'm working on several publications about different life stages of non-biting midges in this area #diptera #chironomidae #taxonomy
This is how the pearl rows in the wing sheaths look like. They are very useful to identify exuviae and pupae of some #chironomid genera (like 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘢) #taxonomy #entomology
February 6, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This is how the pearl rows in the wing sheaths look like. They are very useful to identify exuviae and pupae of some #chironomid genera (like 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘢) #taxonomy #entomology
1st record in the south of England since the 1970s! 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴. Very similar to 𝘙𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴. Differences: pecten epipharyngis with 5 teeth, premandibles with wider inner tooth, mentum with dark median tooth, no fine striae on VPs #macroinvertebrates #chironomidae #taxonomy 🧪🌍
January 30, 2025 at 11:57 PM
1st record in the south of England since the 1970s! 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴. Very similar to 𝘙𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴. Differences: pecten epipharyngis with 5 teeth, premandibles with wider inner tooth, mentum with dark median tooth, no fine striae on VPs #macroinvertebrates #chironomidae #taxonomy 🧪🌍
This is the larva of 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘢 Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the River Ash. The postmentum is the same colour as the rest of the head capsule & the outer laterals are long & well separated. This last feature isn't described in the guide by Cranston (1982) #chironomidae #entomology 🧪🌍
January 28, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This is the larva of 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘢 Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the River Ash. The postmentum is the same colour as the rest of the head capsule & the outer laterals are long & well separated. This last feature isn't described in the guide by Cranston (1982) #chironomidae #entomology 🧪🌍
ID trick: 𝐸𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎 larvae lack dark marks on tergites 3 to 5 (between the gills), some even on 6. Underneath they have either 2 lines on every segment (males), or on all but segment 1 (females) (2nd pic). Caution! marks aren't fully developed in specimens <15 mm #taxonomy #macroinvertebrates
January 16, 2025 at 3:07 PM
ID trick: 𝐸𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎 larvae lack dark marks on tergites 3 to 5 (between the gills), some even on 6. Underneath they have either 2 lines on every segment (males), or on all but segment 1 (females) (2nd pic). Caution! marks aren't fully developed in specimens <15 mm #taxonomy #macroinvertebrates
A very cool find! a larva of 𝐼𝑡ℎ𝑦𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑎 sp. (#trichoptera Hydroptilidae) from the River Mimram. People have always assumed that these were 𝐼. 𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠 but it's indistinguishable from the other British species (𝐼. 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑎). This specimen will be barcoded #GeneFlow24 #NHM #taxonomy #chalkstream
December 11, 2024 at 11:24 PM
A very cool find! a larva of 𝐼𝑡ℎ𝑦𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑎 sp. (#trichoptera Hydroptilidae) from the River Mimram. People have always assumed that these were 𝐼. 𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠 but it's indistinguishable from the other British species (𝐼. 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑎). This specimen will be barcoded #GeneFlow24 #NHM #taxonomy #chalkstream
When I was identifying macroinvertebrates from the River Chess I found this tiny insect print (<1 cm) on a very thin layer of chalk! #insect #chalkstream
December 10, 2024 at 11:32 PM
When I was identifying macroinvertebrates from the River Chess I found this tiny insect print (<1 cm) on a very thin layer of chalk! #insect #chalkstream
Yesterday I attended the SRUK/CERU Emergent Talent Award ceremony in the Spanish Embassy. This year the awardee is Emilio Martínez-Pañeda, Professor at the University of Oxford investigating material deformation & fracture #science #SRUK/CERU
December 3, 2024 at 3:25 PM
Yesterday I attended the SRUK/CERU Emergent Talent Award ceremony in the Spanish Embassy. This year the awardee is Emilio Martínez-Pañeda, Professor at the University of Oxford investigating material deformation & fracture #science #SRUK/CERU
I've just checked the feature 'A year in review' on iNaturalist & is pretty cool! very well summarised & visual. Not bad at all for plants & insects, but more records of Fungi, Protista & Bacteria are needed! also more records from the global south #inaturalist #biodiversity #taxonomy
November 29, 2024 at 9:33 PM
I've just checked the feature 'A year in review' on iNaturalist & is pretty cool! very well summarised & visual. Not bad at all for plants & insects, but more records of Fungi, Protista & Bacteria are needed! also more records from the global south #inaturalist #biodiversity #taxonomy
Let me show you these beautiful moths from the NHM collection! on the left Kentish glory (𝐸𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑎), presumed extinct in the UK. On the right 𝐷𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑎, collected in Tibet, only 1 specimen in the museum! #moth #entomology #lepidoptera
November 28, 2024 at 2:13 PM
Let me show you these beautiful moths from the NHM collection! on the left Kentish glory (𝐸𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑎), presumed extinct in the UK. On the right 𝐷𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑎, collected in Tibet, only 1 specimen in the museum! #moth #entomology #lepidoptera
𝐵𝑎𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑠 is difficult to separate from 𝐵. 𝑟ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑖 & might be more widespread than previously thought. Following Macadam et al. (2018), mount 1 paraproct on a slide & look at the spines on the inner margin: 12-14 = 𝐵. 𝑎𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑠; 15-25 = 𝐵. 𝑟ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑖 (pics below, also tails with black tips)
November 21, 2024 at 12:47 PM
𝐵𝑎𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑠 is difficult to separate from 𝐵. 𝑟ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑖 & might be more widespread than previously thought. Following Macadam et al. (2018), mount 1 paraproct on a slide & look at the spines on the inner margin: 12-14 = 𝐵. 𝑎𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑠; 15-25 = 𝐵. 𝑟ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑖 (pics below, also tails with black tips)
This is 𝑂𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑎, you can identify it with just 2 features: black lines near the head & eyes, so I'm surprised that there are very few records in the UK on GBIF and NBN Atlas! These specimens are from the river Ash in Hertfordshire #macroinvertebrates #GeneFlow24 #chalkstreams #NHM
November 20, 2024 at 10:47 AM
This is 𝑂𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑎, you can identify it with just 2 features: black lines near the head & eyes, so I'm surprised that there are very few records in the UK on GBIF and NBN Atlas! These specimens are from the river Ash in Hertfordshire #macroinvertebrates #GeneFlow24 #chalkstreams #NHM