Culicoides castelloni sp. nov. from the Brazilian Amazon Region with a revision of the reticulatus species group (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae).

A new species of the reticulatus species group, C. castelloni Santarém and Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on female specimens from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. A systematic key, wing photographs and table with numerical characters of females and a synopsis of 24 species of the Culicoides reticulatus group are presented. This paper presents further new records for seven species of the reticulatus group.

New Neotropical Culicoides and redescription of Culicoides reticulatus Lutz (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Seven new species of the Culicoides reticulatus species group are described and illustrated based on specimens from Colombia, Panama and Brazilian states of northern (Amazonas, Pará and Roraima) and southeast region (Rio de Janeiro). The new species are compared with their similar congener, Culicoides reticulatus Lutz, and a systematic key, table with numerical characters to the females of the species are provided. Redescription of Culicoides reticulatus Lutz is given based on type series deposited in the Ceratopogonidae Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil. The distribution of these species is presented in figure 9.

New Culicoides Latreille of the subgenus Mataemyia Vargas from Pará, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Two new species of Culicoides Latreille of the Neotropical subgenus Mataemyia Vargas are described and illustrated based on female specimens from Juruti, Pará, Brazil and compared with their similar congeners. This paper also presents a diagnosis of the subgenus Mataemyia and a systematic key for the identification of the 19 species of the subgenus.

Redescription of Leptoconops (Leptoconops) brasiliensis (Lutz) and Leptoconops (Megaconops) floridensis Wirth (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) with its first Brazilian record.

The Leptoconops Skuse genus includes many pestiferous biting midges found in coastal areas. Only two species were previously found in Brazil and some species have ancient descriptions lacking updated taxonomic features. Herein, we redescribe Leptoconops (Leptoconops) brasiliensis Lutz and L. (Megaconops) floridensis Wirth based on female type specimens and additional material from Gois and Santa Catarina, Brazil. The first Brazilian record of L. (M.) floridensis is reported.

New species and new records of Monohelea Kieffer (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) from Brazil.

Two new Brazilian species of Monohelea Kieffer are described and illustrated based on male specimens, Monoheleacapixaba sp. nov. from Espírito Santo and Monoheleacoimbrai sp. nov. from Rio de Janeiro. New records for M.aguirrei Tavares & Souza, M.archibaldoi Tavares & Souza and M.maculipennis (Coquillet) are given based on specimens from Espírito Santo (all three species) and Amapá (M.maculipennis only). All specimens are deposited in the Ceratopogonidae Collection of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil.

Two new biting midges from Pará, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Two new species of Culicoides Latreille of the subgenus Haematomyidium Goeldi are described and illustrated based on female specimens from Pará, Brazil. The new species are compared with their similar congeners.

A new Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of the reticulatus species group from Brazilian Amazon Region.

A new species of the Culicoides reticulatus species group, Culicoides kuripako Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on females and male specimens from the states of Amazonas and Pará, Brazil. The new species is compared with its similar sympatric congener, Culicoides paucienfuscatus Barbosa.

Culicoides baniwa sp.nov. from the Brazilian Amazon Region with a synopsis of the hylas species group (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

A new species of the Culicoides (Hoffmania) hylas species group, Culicoides baniwa Felippe-Bauer is described and illustrated based on a female specimen from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. A systematic key, wing photographs, diagramme of the legs pattern, table with numerical characters of females and a synopsis of the 11 species of the C. hylas group are presented. This paper further presents a new record of Culicoides pseudoheliconiae Felippe-Bauer out of the previously defined geographic distribution of the hylas species group, in the province of Misiones, Argentina.

Taxonomic Revision of Neotropical Downeshelea Wirth and Grogan Predaceous Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

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.

Two new species of Atrichopogon Kieffer from Acre State, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Two new species of Atrichopogon, A. nukini and A. shawadaua, are described and illustrated based on male and female specimens from northern Brazil. The new species are compared to other ten species of Neotropical Atrichopogon which have distinctive pigmented wings, and a key to males of these species is provided.

New species and new records of Monohelea Kieffer from eastern Amazon, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Seven new species of Monohelea Kieffer are described and illustrated and new records from M. affinis Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli, M. guaimiesi Lane & Wirth and M. maculipennis (Coquillett) are given based on specimens collected in Pará State, eastern Brazilian Amazon. The new species are compared with their similar congeners and the distributional records of both new and previously described species are presented in Figure 1. A key for identification of the Brazilian Amazonian species of Monohelea is also provided.

Culicoides hildebrandoi, a new species of the reticulatus species group from the Brazilian Amazon Region (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae).

A new species of biting midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Culicoides hildebrandoi sp. n., is described and illustrated based on female and male specimens from the states of Amazonas and Rondônia, Brazil. This new species belongs to the reticulatus species group and differs from the 24 other species of this group by the elongate slightly swollen 3(rd) palpal segment with scattered capitate sensilla but lacking a sensory pit.

New species and new records of the predaceous midge genus Parabezzia Malloch (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Brazil.

Four new species of predaceous midges of the genus Parabezzia Malloch are described and illustrated based on female specimens from southeastern Brazil. Two species are recorded for the first time from Brazil, Parabezzia costalis Wirth from Rio de Janeiro State and P. balseiroi Spinelli & Grogan from Rio Grande do Sul State. 

Culicoides biting midges, arboviruses and public health in Europe.

The emergence of multiple strains of bluetongue virus (BTV) and the recent discovery of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in Europe have highlighted the fact that exotic Culicoides-borne arboviruses from remote geographic areas can enter and spread rapidly in this region. This review considers the potential for this phenomenon to impact on human health in Europe, by examining evidence of the role of Culicoides biting midges in the zoonotic transmission and person-to-person spread of arboviruses worldwide. To date, the only arbovirus identified as being primarily transmitted by Culicoides to and between humans is Oropouche virus (OROV). This member of the genus Orthobunyavirus causes major epidemics of febrile illness in human populations of South and Central America and the Caribbean. We examine factors promoting sustained outbreaks of OROV in Brazil from an entomological perspective and assess aspects of the epidemiology of this arbovirus that are currently poorly understood, but may influence the risk of incursion into Europe. We then review the secondary and rarely reported role of Culicoides in the transmission of high-profile zoonotic infections, while critically reviewing evidence of this phenomenon in endemic transmission and place this in context with the presence of other potential vector groups in Europe. Scenarios for the incursions of Culicoides-borne human-to-human transmitted and zoonotic arboviruses are then discussed, along with control measures that could be employed to reduce their impact. These measures are placed in the context of legislative measures used during current and ongoing outbreaks of Culicoides-borne arboviruses in Europe, involving both veterinary and public health sectors.

New Culicoides Latreille of the subgenus Mataemyia Vargas from Pará, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new species of Culicoides Latreille of the Neotropical subgenus Mataemyia Vargas are described and illustrated based on female specimens from Juruti, Pará, Brazil and compared with their similar congeners. This paper also presents a diagnosis of the subgenus Mataemyia and a systematic key for the identification of the 19 species of the subgenus.

Description of Culicoides pseudoheliconiae sp.n. from Peruvian Amazon and revalidation of Culicoides contubernalis Ortiz & Leon (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

A new species of the Culicoides hylas species group, Culicoides pseudoheliconiae Felippe-Bauer is described and illustrated based on female specimens from Peruvian Amazon, and Culicoides contubernalis Ortiz & Leon from Ecuador is resurrected and redescribed as a valid species. A systematic key, table with numerical characters of females of species of the Culicoides hylas group are given.

Two new biting midges from Pará, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new species of Culicoides Latreille of the subgenus Haematomyidium Goeldi are described and illustrated based on female specimens from Pará, Brazil. The new species are compared with their similar congeners.

A new Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of the Reticulatus species group from Brazilian Amazon Region

A new species of the Culicoides reticulatus species group, Culicoides kuripako Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on females and male specimens from the states of Amazonas and Pará, Brazil. The new species is compared with its similar sympatric congener, Culicoides paucienfuscatus Barbosa.

A new Culicoides (Diptera:Ceratopogonidae) of the subgenus Diphaomyia from Peru.

A new species of Culicoides of the subgenus Diphaomyia, Culicoides jurbergi Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on female specimens collected biting man and with light traps in Peruvian Amazonia. The species is compared with its similar congener mirsae Ortiz.

Culicoides baniwa sp.nov. from the Brazilian Amazon Region with a synopsis of the hylas species group (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

A new species of the Culicoides (Hoffmania) hylas species group, Culicoides baniwa Felippe-Bauer is described and illustrated based on a female specimen from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. A systematic key, wing photographs, diagramme of the legs pattern, table with numerical characters of females and a synopsis of the 11 species of the C. hylas group are presented. This paper further presents a new record of Culicoides pseudoheliconiae Felippe-Bauer out of the previously defined geographic distribution of the hylas species group, in the province of Misiones, Argentina.