Molecular phylogeny of 42 species ofCulicoides(Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) from three continents

Denis Augot,Sylvia Smolis,Matthieu Kaltenbach,Darine Slama,Leila Hadj-Henni,Gabriel Trueba,Nil Rahola,Sonia Zapata Mena,Véronique Barriel,Fano José Randrianambinintsoa,Bruno Mathieu,Jérôme Depaquit

doi:10.1051/parasite/2017020

Abstract

The genus Culicoides includes vectors of important animal diseases such as bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus (BTV and SBV). This genus includes 1300 species classified in 32 subgenera and 38 unclassified species. However, the phylogenetic relationships between different subgenera of Culicoides have never been studied. Phylogenetic analyses of 42 species belonging to 12 subgenera and 8 ungrouped species of genus Culicoides from Ecuador, France, Gabon, Madagascar and Tunisia were carried out using two molecular markers (28S rDNA D1 and D2 domains and COI mtDNA). Sequences were subjected to non-probabilistic (maximum parsimony) and probabilistic (Bayesian inference (BI)) approaches. The subgenera Monoculicoides, Culicoides, Haematomyidium, Hoffmania, Remmia and Avaritia (including the main vectors of bluetongue disease) were monophyletic, whereas the subgenus Oecacta was paraphyletic. Our study validates the subgenus Remmia (= Schultzei group) as a valid subgenus, outside of the subgenus Oecacta. In Europe, Culicoides obsoletus, Culicoides scoticus and Culicoides chiopterus should be part of the Obsoletus complex whereas Culicoides dewulfi should be excluded from this complex. Our study suggests that the current Culicoides classification needs to be revisited with modern tools.

Highlights

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are among the world’s smallest haematophagous flies, measuring from 1 to 3 mm, and are described worldwide, except in Antarctica and New Zealand [45]
Pseudogenes were amplified for six specimens from Ecuador (C. castillae, C. hylas, C. pseudoheliconiae, C. guttatus, C. tetrathyris and C. diabolicus) and one specimen from Gabon (C. distinctipennis)
The subgenus Culicoides was monophyletic: Tunisian specimens of C. newsteadi were grouped in one clade (CPP = 100) with French specimens of C. punctatus, C. lupicaris and C. impuctatus

Summary

Introduction

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are among the world’s smallest haematophagous flies, measuring from 1 to 3 mm, and are described worldwide, except in Antarctica and New Zealand [45]. They are mainly known as vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and Oropouche virus (OROV) [12]. Approximately 1300 living and 42 fossil species of Culicoides have been described worldwide Their classification includes 32 subgenera [9] and 38 groups 13% of occurring species remain ungrouped [11]. As most species feature spotted wings, the accurate identification of adults is largely based on subtle variations in size, shape and position of spots that form wing patterns [61,62,63]

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Results

Conclusion