The Pupae of the Biting Midges of the World (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), With a Generic Key and Analysis of the Phylogenetic Relationships Between Genera

Borkent, Art

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3879.1.1

Cited by 1,318 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 183 publications

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“…About 1400 species of this genus have been recorded throughout the world (Borkent, 2014). Only females of some Culicoides species, however, act as vectors of pathogens (viruses, protozoa and filarial nematodes) of medical and veterinary importance (Mellor et al, 2000;Elbers et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orientation behaviour of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a relevant virus vector in northern Europe, toward host-associated odorant cues

Zimmer

Verheggen

Haubruge

et al. 2015

Veterinary Parasitology

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a b s t r a c tSome Culicoides biting midge species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are biological virus vectors worldwide and have recently been associated with outbreaks of important epizootic diseases such as bluetongue and Schmallenberg in northern Europe. These diseases, which affect domestic and wild ruminants, have caused considerable economic losses. Knowledge of host preferences of these biting midges -especially of the relevant vectors of arboviruses near farms, such as Culicoides obsoletus in northern Europe -is essential to understand pathogen transmission cycles and the epidemiology of associated diseases. This study aimed to determine host preferences of C. obsoletus using an in-field flight tunnel containing pairs of calf, sheep, chicken, and human hosts (and controls) and a laboratory two-choice bioassay containing volatile extracts of host skin (and controls). Behavioural responses of nulliparous C. obsoletus females in the in-field flight tunnel showed a preference for human (but also calf and sheep) hosts, probably due to their exhalation of greater quantities of carbon dioxide. The laboratory experiment revealed that volatile organic compounds released from the skin of chicken and sheep seemed to attract this species. Culicoides obsoletus, thus, seems to have a wide host range and to be particularly attracted by humans under field conditions. A better understanding of vector-host interaction could enable the development of control strategies against adult biting midges, by exploiting insect-repelling or -attractive semiochemicals. Volatile extracts of chicken and/or sheep skin could be used to identify volatile compounds attractive to C. obsoletus, which in turn could be used in baited traps.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orientation behaviour of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a relevant virus vector in northern Europe, toward host-associated odorant cues

Zimmer

Verheggen

Haubruge

et al. 2015

Veterinary Parasitology

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“…Three European species of Probezzia are Holarctic in distribution (Wirth 1971). The specimen was identified to genus using the key to genera by Borkent (2014b).…”

Section: Taxonomic Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To a distressing degree, the larvae of the subfamily Ceratopogoninae are morphologically similar and difficult to identify. The pupae are rich in characters and have been recently revised by Borkent (2014b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When DNA barcoding and morphology mesh: Ceratopogonidae diversity in Finnmark, Norway

Stur¹,

Borkent²

2014

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DNA barcoding in Ceratopogonidae has been restricted to interpreting the medically and veterinary important members of Culicoides Latreille. Here the technique is utilised, together with morphological study, to interpret all members of the family in a select area. Limited sampling from the county of Finnmark in northernmost Norway indicated the presence of 54 species, including 14 likely new to science, 16 new to Norway, and one new to Europe. No species were previously recorded from this county. Only 93 species were known for all of Norway before this survey, indicating how poorly studied the group is. We evaluate and discuss morphological characters commonly used in identification of biting midges and relate species diagnoses to released DNA barcode data from 223 specimens forming 58 barcode clusters in our dataset. DNA barcodes and morphology were congruent for all species, except in three morphological species where highly divergent barcode clusters indicate the possible presence of cryptic species.

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“…Even for features that were reported in some families (e.g., Culicidae, Chironomidae), the literature was so large that I didn't have the time to consult all publications (although I did study much of that literature). I had a collection of many Ceratopogonidae available (Borkent, 2014) but lacked broad first-hand material of most other families. As such, I made a special effort to obtain specimens through loans and primarily studied the early lineages of each of the seven other families of Culicomorpha.…”

Section: Polarizing Character Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This approach does an end run around the problem of what a character is. Further to this, it is far more interesting and valuable to us to understand an author's presentation of the actual character states utilized in a given phylogeny (e.g., Amorim & Rindal, 2007;Borkent, 2014;Brown et al, 2015;Courtney, 1991Courtney, , 1994bHarbach & Kitching, 1998;Sinclair & Cumming, 2006), than solely a numerical value representing the features present on a node.…”

Section: What Is a Character?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The State of Phylogenetic Analysis: Narrow Visions and Simple Answers—Examples from the Diptera (flies)

Borkent

2018

Zootaxa

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The order Diptera is remarkably diverse, not only in species but in morphological variation in every life stage, making them excellent candidates for phylogenetic analysis. Such analysis has been hampered by methods that have severely restricted character state interpretation. Morphological-based phylogenies should be based on a deep understanding of the morphology, development and function of character states, and have extensive outgroup comparisons made to determine their polarity. Character states clearly vary in their value for determining phylogenetic relationships and this needs to be studied and utilized. Characters themselves need more explicit discussion, including how some may be developmentally or functionally related to other characters (and potentially not independent indicators of genealogical relationship). The current practice by many, of filling a matrix with poorly understood character states and highly limited outgroup comparisons, is unacceptable if the results are to be a valid reflection of the actual history of the group.Parsimony analysis is not an objective interpretation of phylogenetic relationships when all characters are treated as equal in value. Exact mathematical values applied to characters are entirely arbitrary and are generally used to produce a phylogeny that the author considers as reasonable. Mathematical appraisal of a given node is similarly inconsequential because characters do not have an intrinsic mathematical value. Bremer support, for example, provides values that have no biological reality but provide the pretence of objectivity. Cladists need to focus their attention on testing the validity of each synapomorphy proposed, as the basis for all further phylogenetic interpretation, rather than the testing of differing phylogenies through various comparative programs.Current phylogenetic analyses have come to increasingly depend on DNA sequence-based characters, in spite of their tumultuous history of inconsistent results. Until such time as sequences can be shown to produce predictive phylogenies (i.e., using Hennigian logic), independent of morphological analysis, they should be viewed with caution and certainly not as a panacea as they are commonly portrayed.The purported comprehensive analyses of phylogenetic relationships between families of Diptera by Wiegmann et al. (2011) andLambkin et al. (2013) have serious flaws and cannot be considered as the "Periodic Table" of such relationships as originally heralded.Systematists working on Diptera have a plethora of complex and informative morphological synapomorphies in every life stage, either described or awaiting study. Many lineages have the potential of providing a wealth of evolutionary stories to share with other biologists if we produce stable phylogenies based on weighted synapomorphies and interpreted to elucidate the zoogeographic and bionomic divergence of the group. Some lineages are devoid of convincing synapomorphies and, in spite of our desires, should be recognized as being largely uninterpretab...

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The Pupae of the Biting Midges of the World (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), With a Generic Key and Analysis of the Phylogenetic Relationships Between Genera

Cited by 1,318 publications

References 183 publications

Orientation behaviour of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a relevant virus vector in northern Europe, toward host-associated odorant cues

Orientation behaviour of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a relevant virus vector in northern Europe, toward host-associated odorant cues

When DNA barcoding and morphology mesh: Ceratopogonidae diversity in Finnmark, Norway

The State of Phylogenetic Analysis: Narrow Visions and Simple Answers—Examples from the Diptera (flies)

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