Culicoides obsoletus the name of a species (and a species group) of midges in the subgenus Avaritia. According to a molecular phylogeny,[1] Avaritia is monophyletic, and Culicoides obsoletus, Culicoides scoticus and Culicoides chiopterus should be part of the Obsoletus complex whereas Culicoides dewulfi should be excluded from it.

Culicoides obsoletus
Wings of several species of Culicoides, including C. obsoletus
Scientific classification
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Subgenus:
Avaritia

The species group covers five closely related species:

Sometimes, a reference can be made to the Obsoletus complex. This complex consists of three species, namely:

  • Culicoides obsoletus
  • Culicoides scoticus
  • Culicoides montanus

If reference is made only to Culicoides obsoletus s.str., it means only

  • Culicoides obsoletus

Culicoides obsoletus is thought to be the main vector of the BTV8 outbreak in Northern Europe.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Augot, Denis; Mathieu, Bruno; Hadj-Henni, Leila; Barriel, Véronique; Zapata Mena, Sonia; Smolis, Sylvia; Slama, Darine; Randrianambinintsoa, Fano José; Trueba, Gabriel; Kaltenbach, Matthieu; Rahola, Nil; Depaquit, Jérôme (2017). "Molecular phylogeny of 42 species of Culicoides (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) from three continents". Parasite. 24: 23. doi:10.1051/parasite/2017020. ISSN 1776-1042. PMC 5482051. PMID 28643630.  
  2. ^ Melhorn, Heinz (June 2007). "First occurrence of Culicoides obsoletus-transmitted Bluetongue virus epidemic in Central Europe". Parasitology Research. 101 (1): 219–228. doi:10.1007/s00436-007-0519-6.