Unidentified - Requires an ID

Diptera: Nematocera: Culicomorpha: Chironomoidea: Chironomidae: ???

Definitely a member of the order Diptera, suborder Nematocera, infraorder Culicomorpha, superfamily Chironomoidea and family Chironomidae. Beyond here are dangerous grounds. Chironominae as a subfamily is the most probable bet, and I'm almost willing to place my hand in the fire on this. Cesar of Insetologia thinks the same. The fauna of Chironomids of Ceará in Brazil are very little studied as shown in the link gifted by Cesar: https://sites.google.com/site/brazilianchironomids/checklist-brazil/ceara

Guessing by the fauna of São Paulo, courtesy of Cesar (https://sites.google.com/site/brazilianchironomids/checklist-brazil/sao-paulo)#!#, we have something in or close to the genus Axarus (Roback, 1890) based on the other species of the genus (#!#http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/107284264). So, if we would risk and risk again, Chironomini would be the most probable tribe and the genus Axarus looks close to the individual portrayed.

These are all conjectures with no certainties. Perhaps, though, this will aid in finding the true identity in the future. For now, this will be left as unidentified until further notice. Here is the article on Insetologia: http://www.insetologia.com.br/2018/05/mosquito-quironomideo-no-ceara.html

As I mentioned in the text in the website above, Pseudochironomini and Tanytarsini also left me in doubt. So there are no guarantees below family level, although there are even less guarantees below subfamily level. For now, I believe the subfamily is correct but will also leave it as doubtful.

Chironomids do not bite. They lack the mouthparts and wing scales of the Culicids.

The subject portrayed is a female, as can be noted from the lack of plumose antennae, which males possess, and had a body length of approximately 2mm. Chironomids are also poorly known as they are incredibly difficult to identify, with some species being identifiable through cytogenetic analysis of the polytene chromosomes.

Their importance on pollination is discussed. But the proteins and other nutrients in the pollen, in comparison to nectar, might contribute to the success of the females' reproductive capacities. Both the larvae and the pupae are important food to many fishes and many other aquatic organisms. These aquatic organisms include Hemipterans in the families Nepidae, Notonectidae and Corixidae in their aquatic phases. Water beetles in Dytiscidae and Hydrophillidae, birds, bats, Odonata and Empidids also feed on them. They are important bioindicators of the presence or absence of pollutants. This is due to them being more tolerant to polluted water and are often one of the few organisms encountered in such situations. The larvae of a few genera of Chironomids possess hemoglobin, which fixates the oxygen in the water with ease and allows the larvae to stay more time submerged.

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chironomidae

http://eol.org/pages/482/overview

Date: 30th of March, 2018 at 09:39:58pm.
Location: Brazil, Ceará, Fortaleza (Lat: -3.75, Long: -38.51, 16th floor of a flat)