Barcoding of the Genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Austria—An Update of the Species Inventory Including the First Records of Three Species in Austria

Abstract

Ceratopogonidae are small nematoceran Diptera with a worldwide distribution, consisting of more than 5400 described species, divided into 125 genera. The genus Culicoides is known to comprise hematophagous vectors of medical and veterinary importance. Diseases transmitted by Culicoides spp. Such as African horse sickness virus, Bluetongue virus, equine encephalitis virus (Reoviridae) and Schmallenberg virus (Bunyaviridae) affect large parts of Europe and are strongly linked to the spread and abundance of its vectors. However, Culicoides surveillance measures are not implemented regularly nor in the whole of Austria. In this study, 142 morphologically identified individuals were chosen for molecular analyses (barcoding) of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (mt COI). Molecular analyses mostly supported previous morphologic identification. Mismatches between results of molecular and morphologic analysis revealed three new Culicoides species in Austria, Culicoides gornostaevae Mirzaeva, 1984, which is a member of the Obsoletus group, C. griseidorsum Kieffer, 1918 and C. pallidicornis Kieffer, 1919 as well as possible cryptic species. We present here the first Austrian barcodes of the mt COI region of 26 Culicoides species and conclude that barcoding is a reliable tool with which to support morphologic analysis, especially with regard to the difficult to identify females of the medically and economically important genus Culicoides.

Integrative Taxonomy of the Spinous Assassin Bug Genus Sclomina (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) Reveals Three Cryptic Species Based on DNA Barcoding and Morphological Evidence

“…DNA barcoding is a system that uses short, standard gene sequences as inter-species labels to perform rapid, accurate, and automatic species identification [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( COI ) gene sequence is a powerful marker for the discrimination of evolutionary divergence because of its female inheritance, high evolutionary rate, and stable gene content [ 10 , 11 ].…”

Assigning Culicoides larvae to species using DNA barcoding of adult females and phylogenetic associations

“…Barcoding was the only effective method to differentiate sibling species, such as C. obsoletus and C. scoticus, when morphological identification of specimens was difficult [ 45 ]. Molecular methods, in combination with morphological determination, have been used to verify identity of described species in Sweden [ 46 ] and Tunisia [ 47 ], to discover new species [ 48 , 49 ], study the species composition [ 50 ] and screen the potential BTV vectors in the obsoletus complex in France [ 51 ].…”

Blood meal analysis: host-feeding patterns of biting midges (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae, Culicoides Latreille) in Slovakia

“…paradoxalis. ; C. boyi; C. selandicus; and C. kalix [51]. The faunistic entomological papers published in Slovakia [33,41,43,47] reported that the Culicoides subgenus contained the following 5 species of biting midges: C. pulicaris, C. punctatus, C. newsteadi, C. lupicaris, and C. bysta.…”

“…Biting midges of the Culicoides subgenus include 14 species, i.e., C. pulicaris ; C. lupicaris ; C. impunctatus ; C. punctatus ; C. grisescens ; C. newsteadi ; C. flavipulicaris ; C. fagineus ; C. subfagineus ; C. bysta ; C. paradoxalis. ; C. boyi ; C. selandicus ; and C. kalix [ 51 ]. The faunistic entomological papers published in Slovakia [ 33 , 41 , 43 , 47 ] reported that the Culicoides subgenus contained the following 5 species of biting midges: C. pulicaris , C. punctatus , C. newsteadi , C. lupicaris , and C. bysta .…”