The Phylogeny of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) (Monoculicoides Khalaf)

The subgenus Culicoides (Monoculicoides) Khalaf (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) presently includes 23 species of biting midges recorded from North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In North America, two members of this subgenus are known as vectors of the disease causing agents of both Bluetongue (BT) and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease in livestock and some wildlife. An African species may be involved in transmitting BT and bovine ephemeral fever. Through examination of specimens and features recorded in taxonomic literature, including both sexes, pupae and larvae, we constructed a morphologically based phylogeny of the species of C. (Monoculicoides). Culicoides Latreille, as a genus, is in dire need of major revisions and phylogenetic interpretation at every level. This is the first study to attempt to understand the cladistic relationships of all species of any subgenus of Culicoides. Strong evidence for the monophyly of the subgenus indicates that one species belongs elsewhere in the genus. The North American vector complex has evolved within the Nearctic Region. Our phylogenetic interpretation allows for examination of the divergence of some biological features of the included species.