Australasian Stictocladius Edwards (Diptera: Chironomidae) diagnosed and described

The first formal generic diagnosis for the immature stages and females, and a more complete diagnosis of the males of Stictocladius, based on extensive material from the southern continents, are provided. Associated immature stages are described in detail for the previously described Australasian species, Stictocladius lacuniferus (Freeman), New Zealand; S. pictus (Freeman), New Zealand; S. multiserialis (Freeman), Australia; S. uniserialis (Freeman), Australia; S. victoriae (Freeman), Australia. Divergent species Stictocladius sofour sp. n. from eastern Australia and Stictocladius occidentalis sp. n. from western Australia are described. The further existence of undescribed additional diversity, notably from tropical Australia and the Neotropics, is noted: the morphology of these specimens is incorporated in the generic diagnoses. Stictocladius is compared with putatively related Diplocladius Kieffer and Heleniella Gowin, and the very likely sister group, Lopescladius Oliviera.