Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (Uex), 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Doñana Biological Station, Spanish National Research Council (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain.
J Med Entomol. 2023 Sep 12;60(5):944-954. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjad062.
Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are small bloodsucking flies that act as vectors for various pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. This study aimed to examine, using a comprehensive approach, the controversial taxonomic status of 2 Culicoides species that are currently distributed in the Neotropical (Culicoides jamaicensis Edwards) and Palearctic (Culicoides paolae Boorman) areas and possess unique and distinctive features. Previous investigations based on morphological analysis have suggested that these 2 species may be synonyms. Our work updated the current geographical distribution of both species and analyzed new specimens from different geographic origins, together with publicly available sequences. We used 2 universal genetic markers (COI and 28S) to test this hypothesis. Our study reveals evidence that C. paolae and C. jamaicensis belong to the same species due to the following statements: (i) similar morphological features; (ii) low interspecific genetic variation; (iii) association with a single genetic cluster; (iv) inclusion within the subgenus Drymodesmyia, which has only been recorded in the New World; and (v) occurrence in habitats with moderate temperatures. We recommend that European and African specimens of C. paolae be considered from now on as C. jamaicensis. Our comprehensive approach shed new light on the taxonomic status of these 2 Culicoides species and has implications for future studies on their biology and ecology.
致倦库蚊（双翅目：蠓科）是一种小型吸血蝇，是多种具有医学和兽医学重要性的病原体的媒介。本研究旨在通过综合方法来检查目前分布在新热带（Culicoides jamaicensis Edwards）和古北（Culicoides paolae Boorman）地区的两种具有独特而明显特征的致倦库蚊的有争议的分类地位。先前基于形态分析的调查表明，这两个种可能是同义词。我们的工作更新了这两个种的当前地理分布，并分析了来自不同地理起源的新标本以及公开可用的序列。我们使用了 2 个通用的遗传标记（COI 和 28S）来检验这一假设。我们的研究表明，由于以下原因，C. paolae 和 C. jamaicensis 属于同一物种：（i）相似的形态特征；（ii）种间遗传变异低；（iii）与单个遗传簇相关联；（iv）包含在仅在新世界记录的 Drymodesmyia 亚属中；以及（v）在温度适中的生境中发生。我们建议，今后应将欧洲和非洲的 C. paolae 标本视为 C. jamaicensis。我们的综合方法为这两种致倦库蚊的分类地位提供了新的见解，并对其生物学和生态学的未来研究具有重要意义。
