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World Species of Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)
... The Ceratopogonidae are a diverse family of Diptera with 6207 species [1] distributed worldwide, of which 1282 are known from the Neotropical Region [2]. They are quite numerous in almost all aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats but, due to their small size, have still been inadequately collected and studied [3]. ...
... Currently, 42 species are included in Downeshelea, with 28 recorded from the Neotropical region (with two of these extending into the Nearctic) [1,10]. With the addition of 18 new species here, there are now 60 species known. ...
The genus Downeshelea was described by Wirth and Grogan based on the diagnostic characters of the Monohelea multilineata species group. The first descriptions of species were based on body coloration, which resulted in confusion and misunderstanding of their identification. The aim of this study was to provide an updated diagnosis and description of Downeshelea, describe 18 new species, and redescribe 10 previously poorly described species. New records of species, a key for identification of all New World species, and a table with important morphometric data to distinguish both males and females of the various species are provided along with distribution maps of the 46 known New World species.
... Ceratopogonidae, commonly known as biting midges is a diverse group of nematocerous Diptera which includes 111 extant genera comprising more than 6270 species worldwide (Borkent 2016. Brahma et al. 2016, Saha et al. 2017, of them, Culicoides Latreille (1809) and Dasyhelea Kieffer (1911) are cosmopolitan genera encompassing more than 1369 (Borkent 2016, Saha et al. 2017) and 624 (Brahma et al. 2016) worldwide species respectively. ...
... Ceratopogonidae, commonly known as biting midges is a diverse group of nematocerous Diptera which includes 111 extant genera comprising more than 6270 species worldwide (Borkent 2016. Brahma et al. 2016, Saha et al. 2017, of them, Culicoides Latreille (1809) and Dasyhelea Kieffer (1911) are cosmopolitan genera encompassing more than 1369 (Borkent 2016, Saha et al. 2017) and 624 (Brahma et al. 2016) worldwide species respectively. The members of Culicoides are one of the smallest hema-S. ...
Seasonal abundance of biting midges,
Culicoides Latreille and Dasyhelea Kieffer has been
studied with respect to temperature and relative
humidity in the University Campus. A comparative
study of attraction of Culicoides and Dasyhelea to
both UV and white light has also been made.
... The adults of some species are predators on similar sized insects, while others are ectoparasites on larger insects or suck vertebrate blood (Borkent and Spinelli 2007). Some species in the family are of economic importance and act as pollinators of several crops such as cocoa (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muller Argoviensis), and mango (Mangifera indica Linnaeus) in tropical regions (Borkent andSpinelli 2007, Bravo et al. 2011), while others, which are hematophagous, are considered of medical and veterinary importance because of their potential to cause allergic reactions and to transmit pathogens to humans and domestic animals (Meiswinkel et al. 2004). ...
... There are more than 1,100 species of ceratopogonids known from the Neotropical region, with at least 255 species belonging to 31 genera from Argentina (Borkent and Spinelli 2007, Borkent 2016, Cazorla 2016. In Argentina, Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi) and Culicoides lahillei (Iches) are vectors of Manzonella ozzardi Manson (Spirurida: Filariidae), and C. paraensis and Culicoides insignis Lutz are suspected vectors of Oropouche virus (OROV) (Ribovirus: Bunyaviridae) and bluetongue virus (BTV) (Ribovirus: Reoviridae), respectively (Ronderos et al. 2003b). ...
Synanthropy and community structure of Ceratopogonidae in temperate Argentina were compared across an urbanization gradient to assess the impact of urbanization on species diversity and abundance. Adult ceratopogonids were collected from one natural, one Peri-urban, and two urban sites monthly for 12 months using CDC light traps. Nine-hundred one individuals belonging to nine genera and 59 species were collected. Forcipomyia Meigen was the genus with the highest species richness (n = 20), followed by Atrichopogon Kieffer (14), Dasyhelea Kieffer (8), Stilobezzia Kieffer (7), Culicoides Latreille (5), Bezzia Kieffer (2), Alluaudomyia Kieffer, Monohelea Kieffer, and Palpomyia Meigen (1). Only 15 species were present at the three different areas. Indices of species abundance (ISA) values were statistically similar between urban and Peri-urban areas, but these were significantly lower than those from the natural area. Atrichopogon balseiroi Spinelli, Dasyhelea sp. C., Forcipomyia poulaineae Ingram, and Macfie and F. nana (Macfie) were positively associated with rain fall, while A. albinensis, A. delpontei, D. suarezi, Forcipomyia sp. B, F. sp. I, F. pinamarensis, and F. calchaqui were associated to relative humidity. Species diversity was reduced in urbanized areas and these areas favored ubiquitous species: Forcipomyia taragui Marino, Spinelli and Cazorla, F. poulaineae, and Culicoides venezuelensis Ortiz and Mirsa.
... Ceratopogonids are a group of small nematocerous flies represented in the recent fauna by over 6200 species. They are also well documented as fossils: to date nearly 300 extinct species of 48 genera have been described (Borkent, 2016;Szadziewski, 2018), with the oldest dated to ca. 142 Ma (Berriasian, Early Cretaceous) (Borkent et al., 2013). The relictual genus Austroconops Wirth & Lee, 1958 includes only two extant species from Western Australia. ...
Austroconops perrichoti, a new species of biting midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), is described from uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian amber of Charente-Maritime (NW France), from three female specimens. A similar species, Austroconops borkenti Szadziewski & Schlüter, 1992, from Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian, French amber of Anjou, is redescribed and illustrated. A key to males and females of extinct species of Austroconops Wirth & Lee is also provided.
An updated catalogue of Culicoides of Mexico is presented. It includes 86 species with their regional distribution and corresponding record references, known immature stages and associated pathogens. In addition, a taxonomic key for subgenera and species groups for Mexico is presented and an index of species by state is included.
We investigated the Culicoides fauna in Turkey during the years 2016-2019 in the process of entomological surveillance for arboviral diseases. The entomological survey was conducted at 104 sampling stations in 51 provinces in Turkey during four consecutive years. There were approximately 450,000 specimens and 59 identified species collected during the surveillance. Ten species were newly recorded for Turkey: C. chiopterus, C. grisescens, C. paradoxalis, C. santonicus, C. poperinghensis, C. sergenti, C. tbilisicus, C. comosioculatus, C. haranti, and C. univittatus. Identification of C. chiopterus and C. grisescens was confirmed using species-specific PCR and DNA sequencing. With our recent findings, previous data were critically reviewed and updated, and the number of Culicoides species has been increased to 71 for Turkey. The presence of C. chiopterus has particular importance due to its potential vector status for bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). This study presents result of the first large-scale integrated faunistic survey on Culicoides species in Turkey. Journal of Vector Ecology 46 (2): xxx-xxx. 2021.
We investigated the floral characteristics, floral biology and floral visitors of the six Bornean Tacca species: T. bibracteata (only floral characteristics), T. borneensis, T. havilandii, T. leontopetaloides, T. palmata and T. reducta, and T. cristata from Peninsular Malaysia. All species are protogynous with pollen strings extruded post flower opening. Blooming of all species started from dawn except for T. leontopetaloides which flowered from dusk. While T. borneensis, T. cristata, T. havilandii, T. leontopetaloides and T. reducta are facultatively autogamic as the pollen/ovule ratios (P/O ratios) were low, T. bibracteata is facultatively xenogamic as its P/O ratio was higher. Four species (T. borneensis, T. cristata, T. havilandii and T. reducta) were tested for autonomous self‐pollination but all failed to set fruit. Manual self‐ and cross‐pollination treatments of T. borneensis, T. cristata and T. havilandii showed reduced fruit set and seed set. In contrast, T. reducta was highly self‐compatible. The showy bracts and bracteoles of T. borneensis are needed to guarantee pollination success but is not so in the other species investigated. Tacca are pollinated by two pollination guilds of female midges: two species of Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea) and Culicoides hinnoi. The floral biology and mating system of Tacca species indicate that most fruits and seeds were produced in samples resulting from natural pollination.
A major part of La Réunion Island has been included on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its unique landscapes and its outstanding biodiversity. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the arthropod diversity. For this reason, an up-to-date census of Réunion’s terrestrial arthropods was undertaken. Of the 3369 species that are reported from Réunion, 31% are endemic to the island and 40% are endemic to the Mascarenes. A diversity ratio between the numbers of described and expected species in the world was established and then applied to the numbers of reported species in Réunion to estimate the total expected numbers of species on the island. The results predict that between 6751 and 10,812 species of terrestrial arthropods are present in Réunion and that 62% of species remain to be discovered. However, some groups appear underrepresented as expected for Darwinian islands that should be originally composed by species with abilities to colonize remote places. Considering the global biodiversity decline and the numerous threats on Réunion’s natural habitats, this article emphasizes the crucial need for conservation of terrestrial arthropods and strongly encourages an increase in the list of protected arthropods.
Dans un contexte d’émergence ou de réémergence des maladies à transmission vectorielle, certaines espèces de Culicoides (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae) sont impliquées dans la transmission de certains virus (Reoviridae : Orbivirus) et de nématodes (Onchocercidae : Mansonella) en région Afrotropicale. Cependant, le schéma systématique et taxonomique ainsi que la bio-écologie des espèces d’intérêt vétérinaire restent à explorer. Ce travail de taxonomie intégrative a pour objectifs de réaliser (i) une révision systématique et taxonomique des espèces appartenant à des sous-genres et des groupes d’intérêt à partir de phylogénie moléculaire multi-marqueur et de délimitation d’espèces, et (ii) de développer des outils moléculaires pour l’étude de la bio-écologie des espèces d’intérêt vétérinaire et de la dynamique de leurs populations d’immatures. Nos résultats mettent en évidence (i) la présence de trois clades monophylétiques le groupe d’espèces Imicola, le groupe d’espèces Milnei et le sous-genre Remmia, (ii) une nouvelle espèce pour la science nommée C. sp. #22 et affiliée au sous-genre Avaritia, groupe Imicola, (iii) la présence d’une nouvelle espèce non-décrite nommée C. sp. #54 appartenant au groupe d’espèces Dasyops, sous-genre Avaritia, (iii) d’affilier les groupes d’espèces Similis et Neavei au sous-genre Synhelea et, (iv) de poser l’hypothèse d’une présence d’espèces cryptiques au sein de C. oxystoma (sous-genre Remmia). D’un point de vue bio-écologique, le travail réalisé combinant suivi entomologique et identification moléculaire avec une librairie de séquences barcodes a permis de décrire le comportement trophique de C. imicola, C. kingi et C. oxystoma ainsi que leurs habitats larvaires dans des environnements équins de la zone des Niayes au Sénégal. L’ensemble de ce travail permet de compléter le corpus de connaissances sur le genre Culicoides en région Afrotropicale afin d’améliorer la compréhension de l’épidémiologie des pathogènes transmis et proposer des pistes de recherches pour mieux contrôler les populations immatures et adultes des espèces vectrices afin de mieux anticiper et prévenir des évènements sanitaires.
Three new species, Leptoconops (Holoconops) brevistylus, L. (H.) fortipalpus and L. (H.) tenebrostigmatus of the subgenus Leptoconops (Holoconops Kieffer) are described from the Damodar valley of India. Previously, only two species, Leptoconops (Leptoconops) indicus (Kieffer) and L. (Styloconops) spinosiformis (Carter) were known from India.
The 11 American species of the subgenus Caloforcipomyia of the genus Forcipomyia are described. Five new species are described and illustrated: copanensis, hatoensis, hermosa, remigera, and sabalitensis. F. monilis Goetghebuer, F. diversipes Goetghebuer, and F. splendida Wirth are synonyms of F. glauca Macfie (N. SYNS.).
Detailed descriptions are given for a new species of biting midge from Virginia, Macropeza pamunkeiana Knausenberger and Wirth, together with comparative notes on M. blantoni Wirth and Ratanaworabhan, the only other known speices of the genus in the Western Hemisphere. The new species appears to prefer small stream environments, and has austral affinities. Notes on the known biology of the genus are provided.
Forcipomyia (Microhelea) tettigonaris Wirth and Castner new species is described from two females captured while attached tick-like to the scutellum of the katydid Roxelana crassicornis (Stal)(Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) near Iquitos, Peru, on the Amazon River. Hosts of the four previously described species of this group of tick-like biting midges have been confined to stick insects (Orthoptera: Phasmatidae). A third female of this species is reported from a katydid in Costa Rica. /// Se describe la nueva especie Forcipomyia (Microhelea) tettigoniaris Wirth y Castner, de dos hembras capturadas cuando estaban pegadas al estilo-garrapata, al escutelo del cigarrón Toxelana crassicornis (Stal) (Ortóptera: Tetigonida), cerca de Iquitos, Perú, en el rio Amazona. Hospederos de las cuatro especies previamente descritas de este grupo de mosquitas que pican parecido a las garrapatas, han sido confinados a los insectos de palo (Ortóptera: Fasmítida). Se reporta una tercera hembra de esta especie de un cigarrón de Costa Rica.
The 2 North American species of Heteromyia Say (fasciata, prattii) are differentiated and illustrated, and a key is provided. A new species, Heteromyia wokei from Nicaragua, is described and illustrated. The pupa of Heteromyia is described and illustrated for the 1st time from H. wokei and H. clavata Williston. Heteromyia rufa Kieffer and H. caloptera Kieffer are junior synonyms of H. clavata (NEW SYNONYMY).
Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) dolichopodida Chan & Linley (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), collected from leaves of the water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes L., is described in all stages. It resembles F. (Eu.) spatulifera Saunders in having large spatulate a setae in the larva but differs from it in having p setae of the head lanceolate instead of spatulate. Brief biological notes are given. /// Se describen todas las etapas de Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) dolichopodida Chan y Linley (Diptera: Ceratopogonida), colectadas de hojas de lechuga de agua, Pistia stratiotes L. Se parece a F. (Eu.) spatulifera Saunders en que tiene setas espatuladas a en la larva, pero difiere en que tiene la setas p de la cabeza lanceoladas en vez de espatuladas. Se presentan breves notas biológicas.
The biting midge, Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) fehrerorum Grogan and Sigrist, new species, is described and illustrated from specimens collected in Maryland and Florida and compared with its only Nearctic congener, F. (M.) pluvialis Malloch, which is redescribed and illustrated.