Culicoides
Encyclopedia
Culicoides is a genus
of biting midges in the subfamily Ceratopogonidae
. Around 500 species of Ceratopogonidae
are at present placed in the genus and this is split into many subgenera. Several species
are known to be vectors of various diseases and parasites which can affect animals.
and taxonomy
of this genus are confused. A large number of species are of unknown relations to those that have been assigned to subgenera
already. Furthermore, many subgenera are sometimes elevated to full genus status, or additional genera (such as Paradasyhelea) are included as subgenera herein.
Species incertae sedis
include:
Biological habits:
Both males and females feed on nectar, however only the females feed on blood, which is needed for the maturation of fertilized eggs. Females typically bite at dusk or dawn often in dense swarms and usually in the vicinity of water, marshes or rotting vegetation.
Life cycle of Culicoides:
Females lay their eggs en masse in a range of habitats ranging from water vegetation, slow running streams, damp soil or manure heaps. These hatch into tiny smooth white larvae with four pairs of anal gills. Pupae consist of a fused cephalothorax with slender respiratory trumpets and a segmented abdomen.
Adults emerge through a straight slit after 3–7 days.
The bite of Culicoides is felt as a sharp prick and is often followed by irritating lumps that may disappear in a few hours or last for days.
spp. (M. ozzardi
, M. perstans, M. streptocerca
), Onchocerca gibsoni and O. cervicalis, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium agamae
, bluetongue virus, African horse sickness
, bovine ephemeral fever
(C. osystoma and C. nipponesis), Akabane virus
, Queensland itch and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of biting midges in the subfamily Ceratopogonidae
Ceratopogonidae
Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges , are a family of small flies in the order Diptera...
. Around 500 species of Ceratopogonidae
Ceratopogonidae
Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges , are a family of small flies in the order Diptera...
are at present placed in the genus and this is split into many subgenera. Several species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
are known to be vectors of various diseases and parasites which can affect animals.
Notable taxa
The systematicsSystematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
and taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of this genus are confused. A large number of species are of unknown relations to those that have been assigned to subgenera
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
already. Furthermore, many subgenera are sometimes elevated to full genus status, or additional genera (such as Paradasyhelea) are included as subgenera herein.
- Subgenus Avaritia
- Culicoides brevitarsis - suspected as vector of AkabaneAkabane virusThe Akabane virus is an insect-transmitted virus that causes congenital abnormalities of the central nervous systems in ruminants.-Virus:Two viruses, both arthropod borne, have been implicated in the cause of these congenital defects: Akabane virus, named after the district in Japan where it was...
and Aino virus - Culicoides imicolaCulicoides imicolaCulicoides imicola is a midge which transmits the bluetongue virus. Other suspected BTV vectors areCulicoides pulicaris and species in the Culicoides obsoletus complex....
- main vector of bluetongue virus and African Horse SicknessAfrican Horse sicknessAfrican horse sickness is a highly infectious, and deadly disease. It commonly affects horses, mules, and donkeys. It is caused by a virus of the genus Orbivirus belonging to the family Reoviridae. This disease can be caused by any of the nine serotypes of this virus...
in Southern Europe - Culicoides chiopterus -
- Culicoides dewulfi -
- Culicoides obsoletusCulicoides obsoletusCuliciodes obsoletus the name of a species of midges in the subgenus Avaritia.The species group covers five closely related species:* Culicoides chiopterus* Culicoides dewulfi* Culicoides scoticus...
- - Culicoides scoticus -
- Culicoides brevitarsis - suspected as vector of Akabane
- Subgenus Beltranmyia
- Culicoides circumscriptus
- Culicoides manchuriensis
- Culicoides salinarius
- Subgenus Culicoides
- Culicoides nipponensis
- Culicoides punctata
- Subgenus Drymodesmyia
- Culicoides loughnani
- Subgenus Haematomyidium
- Culicoides insinuatus
- Culicoides paraensisCulicoides paraensisCulicoides paraensis is a species of midge found from the northern United States to Argentina, which acts as the vector of the Oropouche fever virus....
- vector of Oropouche virus
- Subgenus Haemophoructus
- Culicoides gemellus
- Subgenus Hoffmania
- Culicoides foxi
- Culicoides fusipalpis
- Culicoides ignacioi
- Culicoides insignis
- Culicoides lutzi
- Culicoides maruim
- Culicoides paramaruim
- Subgenus Macfiella
- Culicoides phlebotomus
- Subgenus Meijerehelea
- Culicoides guttifer
- Subgenus Monoculicoides
- Culicoides deltus
- Culicoides fagineus
- Culicoides grisescens
- Culicoides impunctatus (Highland midgeHighland midgeThe Highland midge is a species of small flying insect, found in upland and lowland areas especially in the north west of Scotland from late spring to late summer...
) - vector for HaemoproteusHaemoproteusHaemoproteus is a genus of protozoa that are parasitic in birds, reptiles and amphibians. Its name is derived from Greek: Haima - blood and Proteus - a sea god who had the power of assuming different shapes. The name Haemoproteus was first used in the description of Haemoproteus columbae in the...
spp. - Culicoides newsteadi
- Culicoides nubeculosus
- Culicoides pulicaris
- Culicoides punctatus
- Subgenus Oecacta
- Culicoides furens transmits Mansonella Ozzardi
- Subgenus Remmia
- Culicoides oxystoma
- Subgenus Tokunagahelea
- Culicoides pygmaeus
- Subgenus Trithecoides
- Culicoides anophelis
Species incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
include:
- limai group
- Culicoides limai
- fluviatilis group
- Culicoides fluviatilis
- Culicoides leopodoi
- reticulatus group
- Culicoides guyanensis
- Culicoides paucienfuscatus
- Culicoides reticulatus
Taxonomy
Adults are small dark insects about 1–3 mm long. The antennae are long (15 segments) densely haired in the males and less hairy in females. The Thorax is hooped and carries a pair of broad mottled wings. Only the first two longitudinal veins are distinct.Biological habits:
Both males and females feed on nectar, however only the females feed on blood, which is needed for the maturation of fertilized eggs. Females typically bite at dusk or dawn often in dense swarms and usually in the vicinity of water, marshes or rotting vegetation.
Life cycle of Culicoides:
Females lay their eggs en masse in a range of habitats ranging from water vegetation, slow running streams, damp soil or manure heaps. These hatch into tiny smooth white larvae with four pairs of anal gills. Pupae consist of a fused cephalothorax with slender respiratory trumpets and a segmented abdomen.
Adults emerge through a straight slit after 3–7 days.
The bite of Culicoides is felt as a sharp prick and is often followed by irritating lumps that may disappear in a few hours or last for days.
Culicoides as a vector
Different Culicoides species have been shown to be vectors for the following viruses and conditions: MansonellaMansonella
Mansonella perstans is a vector-borne human filarial nematode, transmitted by tiny blood-sucking flies called midges. . Mansonella perstans is one of two filarial nematodes that cause Serous Cavity Filariasis in humans. The other filarial nematode is Mansonella ozzardi...
spp. (M. ozzardi
Mansonella ozzardi
Mansonella ozzardi is a parasite in the phylum of Nematoda. This filarial nematode is one of two that causes Serous Cavity filariasis in humans. The other filarial nematode that causes Serous Cavity filariasis in humans is Mansonella perstans. Mansonella ozzardi is an endoparasite that inhabits...
, M. perstans, M. streptocerca
Mansonella streptocerca
Mansonella streptocerca, , is the scientific name of a human parasitic roundworm causing the disease of streptocerciasis...
), Onchocerca gibsoni and O. cervicalis, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium agamae
Plasmodium agamae
Plasmodium agamae is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.Like all Plasmodium species it has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate host is the rainbow lizard Agama agama...
, bluetongue virus, African horse sickness
African Horse sickness
African horse sickness is a highly infectious, and deadly disease. It commonly affects horses, mules, and donkeys. It is caused by a virus of the genus Orbivirus belonging to the family Reoviridae. This disease can be caused by any of the nine serotypes of this virus...
, bovine ephemeral fever
Bovine ephemeral fever
Bovine ephemeral fever also known as Three Day Sickness is an arthropod vector-borne disease of cattle and is caused by the Ephemerovirus virus of the Rhabdoviridae family of virus. The Rhabdoviridae are a class V virus according to the Baltimore classification of viruses...
(C. osystoma and C. nipponesis), Akabane virus
Akabane virus
The Akabane virus is an insect-transmitted virus that causes congenital abnormalities of the central nervous systems in ruminants.-Virus:Two viruses, both arthropod borne, have been implicated in the cause of these congenital defects: Akabane virus, named after the district in Japan where it was...
, Queensland itch and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease is an orbivirus that infects White-tailed Deer in the northeastern and midwestern United States. The virus is transmitted by the Culicoides biting midge. The EHD virus is closely related to the Bluetongue virus and crossreacts with it on many blood tests...
.