Culicoides Latreille (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) of Colombia: records from the collection of insects of medical importance from National Institute of Health.

Background: The collection of insects of medical importance from the Instituto Nacional de Salud, INS (Bogotá, Colombia: https://www.ins.gov.co/Paginas/Inicio.aspx), was started in 1934 with the aim of being an institutional and national repository of the biodiversity of insects involved in vector-borne diseases of importance in public health. Today, the entomological collection includes more than 7,500 specimens.The ceratopogonid insects are one group of Diptera that are represented in this collection. Within the Ceratopogonidae, the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 is relevant in public health because of the nuisance caused by their bites when they are presented in great abundance and because of their role as vectors of several agents (virus, protozoa and nematodes) that cause diseases to humans and to animals (Mellor et al. 2000, Mullen 2002). An overview of the Ceratopogonidae, represented in this collection, is presented here. A total of 801 individuals, mainly adults of the genus Culicoides (90%) are represented. The collection is the result of the effort of several researchers of the Group of Entomology at INS. These researchers collected ceratopogonids when they went to different transmission scenarios of vector-borne diseases in Colombia, with the purpose of making entomological characterisations including the processing, assembly and identification of the specimens in the laboratory. New information: New information about the geographical distribution of 39 species of the genus Culicoides in Colombia. All data have been uploaded to GBIF and are publicly available there.

Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) as putative vectors of zoonotic Onchocerca lupi (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) in northern Arizona and New Mexico, southwestern United States.

Onchocerca lupi (Rodonaja, 1967) is an understudied, vector-borne, filarioid nematode that causes ocular onchocercosis in dogs, cats, coyotes, wolves, and is also capable of infecting humans. Onchocercosis in dogs has been reported with increasing incidence worldwide. However, despite the growing number of reports describing canine O. lupi cases as well as zoonotic infections globally, the disease prevalence in endemic areas and vector species of this parasite remains largely unknown. Here, our study aimed to identify the occurrence of O. lupi infected dogs in northern Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, United States and identify the vector of this nematode. A total of 532 skin samples from randomly selected companion animals with known geographic locations within the Navajo Reservation were collected and molecularly surveyed by PCR for the presence of O. lupi DNA (September 2019-June 2022) using previously published nematode primers (COI) and DNA sequencing. O. lupi DNA was detected in 50 (9.4%) sampled animals throughout the reservation. Using positive animal samples to target geographic locations, pointed hematophagous insect trapping was performed to identify potential O. lupi vectors. Out of 1,922 insects screened, 38 individual insects and 19 insect pools tested positive for the presence of O. lupi, all of which belong to the Diptera family. This increased surveillance of definitive host and biological vector/intermediate host is the first large scale prevalence study of O. lupi in companion animals in an endemic area of the United States, and identified an overall prevalence of 9.4% in companion animals as well as multiple likely biological vector and putative vector species in the southwestern United States. Furthermore, the identification of these putative vectors in close proximity to human populations coupled with multiple, local zoonotic cases highlight the One Health importance of O. lupi.

Redescription of Stilobezzia (Stilobezzia) albicoxa Lane amp; Forattini, 1956 with new synonymy (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Stilobezzia Kieffer, 1911 is a diverse genus of predaceous Ceratopogonidae (Ceratopogoninae: Ceratopogonini) with 349 species recognized worldwide (Borkent Dominiak 2020). The genus has four subgenera, three occurs in Brazil, where Stilobezzia s. str. is the most speciose, with 23 species registered (Santarém Felippe-Bauer 2019).

Remarkable fly (Diptera) diversity in a patch of Costa Rican cloud forest: Why inventory is a vital science.

Study of all flies (Diptera) collected for one year from a four-hectare (150 x 266 meter) patch of cloud forest at 1,600 meters above sea level at Zurquí de Moravia, San José Province, Costa Rica (hereafter referred to as Zurquí), revealed an astounding 4,332 species. This amounts to more than half the number of named species of flies for all of Central America. Specimens were collected with two Malaise traps running continuously and with a wide array of supplementary collecting methods for three days of each month. All morphospecies from all 73 families recorded were fully curated by technicians before submission to an international team of 59 taxonomic experts for identification.        Overall, a Malaise trap on the forest edge captured 1,988 species or 51% of all collected dipteran taxa (other than of Phoridae, subsampled only from this and one other Malaise trap). A Malaise trap in the forest sampled 906 species. Of other sampling methods, the combination of four other Malaise traps and an intercept trap, aerial/hand collecting, 10 emergence traps, and four CDC light traps added the greatest number of species to our inventory. This complement of sampling methods was an effective combination for retrieving substantial numbers of species of Diptera. Comparison of select sampling methods (considering 3,487 species of non-phorid Diptera) provided further details regarding how many species were sampled by various methods.        Comparison of species numbers from each of two permanent Malaise traps from Zurquí with those of single Malaise traps at each of Tapantí and Las Alturas, 40 and 180 km distant from Zurquí respectively, suggested significant species turnover. Comparison of the greater number of species collected in all traps from Zurquí did not markedly change the degree of similarity between the three sites, although the actual number of species shared did increase.        Comparisons of the total number of named and unnamed species of Diptera from four hectares at Zurquí is equivalent to 51% of all flies named from Central America, greater than all the named fly fauna of Colombia, equivalent to 14% of named Neotropical species and equal to about 2.7% of all named Diptera worldwide. Clearly the number of species of Diptera in tropical regions has been severely underestimated and the actual number may surpass the number of species of Coleoptera.        Various published extrapolations from limited data to estimate total numbers of species of larger taxonomic categories (e.g., Hexapoda, Arthropoda, Eukaryota, etc.) are highly questionable, and certainly will remain uncertain until we have more exhaustive surveys of all and diverse taxa (like Diptera) from multiple tropical sites.        Morphological characterization of species in inventories provides identifications placed in the context of taxonomy, phylogeny, form, and ecology. DNA barcoding species is a valuable tool to estimate species numbers but used alone fails to provide a broader context for the species identified.

Yungahelea, a new genus of predaceous midge from northwestern Argentina (Culicomorpha: Ceratopogonidae)

ABSTRACT A new monotypic genus and species of predaceous midge from the southernmost area of the Argentinean Yungas, Yungahelea australis Spinelli and Ronderos, is described and illustrated from male and female adults. It belongs to a group containing the Ceratopogonini genera Parabezzia Malloch, Diaphanobezzia Ingram and Macfie, Spinellihelea Borkent, Grogan and Picado, Leptohelea Wirth and Blanton, and Fittkauhelea Wirth and Blanton. Phylogenetic interpretation indicates that Yungahelea is the sister group of Spinellihelea or the clade composed by Parabezzia and Diaphanobezzia.

Two new Neotropical species of the Dasyhelea mutabilis group (Culicomorpha: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new species of Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. are described, illustrated and photographed from Peru and Brazil respectively, based on male and female adults. These species are typical members of mutabilis species group and are compared with similar species within the group.

Macho y hembra de dos nuevas especies de Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Díaz sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Díaz sp. nov., se describen, ilustran y fotografían provenientes de Perú y Brasil respectivamente. Ambas especies son típicos miembros del grupo mutabilis y son comparadas con las especies similares dentro del grupo.

Two new neotropical species of the dasyhelea mutabilis group (culicomorpha: ceratopogonidae)

RESUMEN Macho y hembra de dos nuevas especies de Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Díaz sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Díaz sp. nov., se describen, ilustran y fotografían provenientes de Perú y Brasil respectivamente. Ambas especies son típicos miembros del grupo mutabilis y son comparadas con las especies similares dentro del grupo.

ABSTRACT Two new species of Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. are described, illustrated and photographed from Peru and Brazil respectively, based on male and female adults. These species are typical members of mutabilis species group and are compared with similar species within the group.

Two new Neotropical species of the Dasyhelea mutabilis group (Culicomorpha: Ceratopogonidae)

Two new species of Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. are described, illustrated and photographed from Peru and Brazil respectively, based on male and female adults. These species are typical members of mutabilis species group and are compared with similar species within the group.(AU)

Macho y hembra de dos nuevas especies de Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Díaz sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Díaz sp. nov., se describen, ilustran y fotografían provenientes de Perú y Brasil respectivamente. Ambas especies son típicos miembros del grupo mutabilis y son comparadas con las especies similares dentro del grupo.(AU)

TWO NEW NEOTROPICAL SPECIES OF THE DASYHELEA MUTABILIS GROUP (CULICOMORPHA: CERATOPOGONIDAE)

RESUMEN Macho y hembra de dos nuevas especies de Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Díaz sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Díaz sp. nov., se describen, ilustran y fotografían provenientes de Perú y Brasil respectivamente. Ambas especies son típicos miembros del grupo mutabilis y son comparadas con las especies similares dentro del grupo.

ABSTRACT Two new species of Dasyhelea Kieffer, Dasyhelea jorgei Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. and Dasyhelea mineira Diaz, Felippe-Bauer & Spinelli sp. nov. are described, illustrated and photographed from Peru and Brazil respectively, based on male and female adults. These species are typical members of mutabilis species group and are compared with similar species within the group.

Caracterización de criaderos e inmaduros de Ceratopogónidos de importancia sanitaria y económica en Misiones / Characterization of breeding and immature Ceratopogonids of sanitary and economic importance in Misiones

46 especies de la familia Ceratopogonidae se han registrado en Misiones. Algunas especies son importantes polinizadoras, otras son depredadores importantes de organismos en hábitats semiacuáticos y acuáticos y otras se las utiliza como bioindicadores de calidad del agua. Las hembras adultas de Culicoides y Forcipomyia son hematófagos de vertebrados incluyendo al humano. Estos ceratopogónidos producen molestias por sus picaduras y los que presentan mayor importancia, hasta ahora potencial, en Argentina son los de género Culicoides sp, en donde hay especies de importancia médico-veterinaria. El estudio tiene por objetivo la identificación y caracterización de criaderos de ceratopogónidos de importancia sanitaria y económica para la zona sur de Misiones. Este trabajo corresponde a un estudio de tipo descriptivo en el área de la taxonomía de la familia Ceratopogonidae. Se realizó entre mayo 2016 y 2017 en el Centro de Investigaciones Entomológica. Se recolectaron larvas en 24 puntos determinados, se registraron datos ambientales y parámetros físico-químicos para la caracterización de los criaderos y se clasificó taxonómicamente a los individuos adultos con claves taxonómicas de Borkent y Spinelli (2007) y Spinelli et al (2005). Culicoides debilipalpis se colectó en criadero de ambiente fitotélmico en el Parque Profundidad en enero de 2017. Esta especie está incriminada en la transmisión de mansonelosis. El género Culicoides sp. se colectó en ambiente fitotélmico, en hueco de árbol, en ARA-El Zaimán y la Estancia Santa Inés, y en las axila de bromelia en el ARA-El Zaimán. La especie Alluaudomyia schnacki y los géneros Stilobezzia, y Atrichpogon se colectaron en ambientes lenticos. El género Forcipomyia, se colecto en ambientes fitotélmicos y lenticos. Es necesario ampliar el área de muestreo valiéndose de las características de criaderos relevadas en este trabajo, para poder identificar con mayor precisión posibles sitios de cría de esta familia

Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Martín García Island, Argentina

Nearly 230 species of biting midges have been recorded or described from Argentina; 38 of them are known from the Buenos Aires province and only one is cited from Martín García Island. This paper presents the results raised from six collecting trips which took place on the island during spring 2005, summer 2006 and autumn 2009. Diverse sampling sites including permanent and temporary aquatic environments were chosen, most of the ten sampling sites were ponds of diverse origin, some of these environments were covered with floating vegetation as Lemna gibba, Lemna minuscule, Salvinia biloba, Salvinia minima, Azolla filiculoides, Limnobium laevigatum, Pistia stratiotes, Spirodela intermedia, Wolffiella oblonga and Wolffia columbiana. Other sites were placed in urban and suburban areas. Adults were collected with sweep nets at sunrise and sunset and with light traps at intervals of four to five hours at night, depending on electricity availability on the island. Larvae and pupae were collected with different implements depending on characteristics of each surveyed aquatic habitat. In free standing water, they were captured with small sieves or hand pipettes and micropipettes, flotation techniques were utilized for sampling vegetated areas, free and rooted floating hydrophytes were extracted for removing insects among them. Thirteen species of Ceratopogonidae were collected, three of Atrichopogon Kieffer, three of Forcipomyia Meigen, two of Dasyhelea Kieffer, four of Culicoides Latreille, and one of Bezzia Kieffer, all representing new records from the island. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (3): 1183-1194. Epub 2011 September 01.

Alrededor de 230 especies de ceratopogónidos han sido registradas o descritas en Argentina, 38 de ellas son conocidas para la provincia de Buenos Aires y sólo una ha sido previamente citada para la Isla Martín García. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados obtenidos a partir de muestreos realizados en seis viajes a la isla durante la primavera de 2005, verano de 2006 y otoño de 2009; se seleccionaron diez sitios de muestreo con ambientes acuáticos permanentes y temporales. La mayoría de los muestreos se llevaron a cabo en cuerpos de agua de diverso origen; algunos de éstos se hallaban cubiertos con vegetación flotante compuesta por Lemna gibba, Lemna minuscule, Salvinia biloba, Salvinia minima, Azolla filiculoides, Limnobium laevigatum, Pistia stratiotes, Spirodela intermedia, Wolffiella oblonga y Wolffia columbiana; mientras que los restantes se realizaron en zonas urbanas y suburbanas. Los adultos se capturaron con redes entomológicas a la salida y puesta del sol y con trampas de luz a intervalos de cuatro a cinco horas por la noche, dependiendo de la disponibilidad de electricidad en la isla. Las larvas y pupas fueron recolectadas con diferentes metodologías según las características de los ambientes estudiados; en el agua libre se capturaron con tamices pequeños o pipetas y micropipetas, y en cuerpos de agua con vegetación se utilizó la técnica de flotación para separar los insectos de las hidrófitas flotantes y arraigadas. Se identificaron trece especies de Ceratopogonidae, 3 de Atrichopogon Kieffer, 3 de Forcipomyia Meigen, 2 de Dasyhelea Kieffer, 4 de Culicoides Latreille, y uno de Bezzia Kieffer, todos ellos representan nuevos registros para la isla.

Breeding sites of Culicoides pachymerus Lutz in the Magdalena River basin, Colombia

The breeding sites of Culicoides pachymerus are described for the first time in western Boyacá Province, Colombia, where this species is a public health problem. In addition to being a nuisance due to its enormous density and its high biting rates, C. pachymerus cause dermatological problems in the human population. Analysis of microhabitats by the sugar flotation technique and the use of emergence traps allowed us to recover 155 larvae of Culicoides spp and 65 adults of C. pachymerus from peridomiciliary muddy substrates formed by springs of water and constant rainwater accumulation. These important findings could aid in the design of integrated control meas-ures against this pest.

New records of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Peruvian Amazonian region / Novas ocorrências de Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) da Região Amazônica Peruana

Ten species of Culicoides Latreille are reported for the first time from Peruvian Departments of Amazonas, Cajamarca, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Piura and San Martin. The synonymy and distribution of the species in the New World are given.

Dez espécies de Culicoides Latreille são reportadas pela primeira vez para os departamentos peruanos de Amazonas, Cajamarca, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Piura e San Martin. A sinonímia e a distribuição das espécies para o novo mundo são fornecidas.

Culicoides huaynacapaci, a new species from the Department of Cajamarca, Peru (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae)

A new species of Culicoides of the subgenus Mataemyia Vargas, Culicoides huaynacapaci Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on female and male specimens collected biting humans in Department of Cajamarca, in Peruvian Amazonia. The new species is compared with its similar congener C. albuquerquei Wirth & Blanton.

Uma nova espécie de Culicoides do subgênero Mataemyia Vargas, Culicoides huaynacapaci Felippe-Bauer, é descrita e ilustrada baseada em exemplares fêmeas e machos coletados picando humanos no Estado de Cajamarca, na Amazônia Peruana. A nova espécie é comparada com a espécie afim, C. albuquerquei Wirth & Blanton.

Culicoides huaynacapaci, a new species from the Department of Cajamarca, Peru (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae)

A new species of Culicoides of the subgenus Mataemyia Vargas, Culicoides huaynacapaci Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on female and male specimens collected biting humans in Department of Cajamarca, in Peruvian Amazonia. The new species is compared with its similar congener C. albuquerquei Wirth & Blanton.

Uma nova espécie de Culicoides do subgênero Mataemyia Vargas, Culicoides huaynacapaci Felippe-Bauer, é descrita e ilustrada baseada em exemplares fêmeas e machos coletados picando humanos no Estado de Cajamarca, na Amazônia Peruana. A nova espécie é comparada com a espécie afim, C. albuquerquei Wirth & Blanton.

A new predaceous midge of the Palpomyia tibialis group from northeastern Argentina (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Palpomyia iberaensis n. sp., was collected by Malaise trap in the province of Corrientes, Argentina and its female and attached male genitalia are described and illustrated. The species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: females with dark brown legs except fore trochanter, basal 1/2 of fore femur, basal 2/3 of mid femur, fore and mid tibiae except extreme tip, yellowish brown; fore femur with four to five, mid femur with two ventral spines; abdomen lacking gland rods. Males with gonocoxite stout, with a conspicuous posteromesal pointed hook; gonostylus short, curved; parameres entirely divided, the distal portions slender with two posteriorly directed processes. This species is placed in the tibialis group in spite of the curious parameres without recurved tips. The species is compared with its congener Palpomyia mellichroa, from southeastern Brazil.

Se describe Palpomyia iberaensis n. sp., recolectada con trampa Malaise en Corrientes, Argentina, con base en una hembra que traía adheridos los órganos genitales del macho. Se ubica la especie en el grupo tibialis a pesar de tener parameros con puntas curvadas. Se compara la especie con su congénere brasileño Palpomyia mellichroa.

Estudo sobre os Ceratopogonídeos de Minas Gerais: I - Descrição dos machos de Heteromyia chaquensis Duret & Lane, 1955 e Dasyhelea paulistana Forattini & Rabello, 1957 (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) / Studies of Ceratopogonidade of Minas Gerais: I - Descriptions of the males of Heteromyia chaquensis Duret & Lane, 1955 and Dasyhelea paulistana Forattini & Rabello, 1957 (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae)

This paper describes some results of a systematic survey of the Ceratopogonidae midges of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Three species, Stilobezzia punctulata Lane, 1947, Heteromyia chaquensis Duret & Lane, 1955 and Dasyhelea paulistana Forattini & Rabello, 1957 were identified from a small lake, "Lagoinha" or "Olhos d'Água", near to the main lake of Lagoa Santa. The first descriptions of the males of Heteromyia chaquensis and Dasyhelea paulistana are presented.