Ceratopogonid larva
Photograph courtesy of Institute for Water Quality Studies, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

The Aquatic Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of Southern Africa

compiled by Arthur Harrison

111A Berg Road, Fish Hoek, South Africa

© Copyright of this page belongs to the author.
Yours is the access since 1st August 2000

CONTENTS

Introduction
Ceratopogonidae
References

INTRODUCTION

Adults lack ocelli, and the thickened part of the costa usually ends at least a quarter of the way from the wingtip.

Not all ceratopogonids are aquatic, but the species listed here have (or probably have) aquatic larvae. They are commonly called "biting midges" because they feed on the circulatory fluids of other animals. There are over 1500 described species world-wide, representing over 800 valid species. Generally about 3mm long, their bites can cause more pain a mosquito's. These characteristics have earned the group names like "no-see-ums", "punkies," and "sandflies".

Many Southern Africa ceratopogonids in genera such as Atrichopogon, Bezzia, Brachypogon, Ceratopogon and Palpomyia are known to feed on the hemolymph of other arthropods (Blanton & Wirth 1979). Dasyhelea species have been suspected of feeding on vertebrates, but proof is lacking, and adults of these species certainly feed on nectar, so that they may have a role in pollination. However, species of the genus Culicoides are economically significant because they are blood-sucking parasites of vertebrates and can make tracts of land unusable for livestock agriculture. Many Culicoides species are carriers of the bluetongue virus (and other arboviruses), which kills sheep and cattle, as well as deer, in many parts of the world. Unfortunately, populations can breed so rapidly that chemical control often does not work. Depending on the species, Culicoides larvae feed on detritus, yeast, or algae, and can develop in moist soil, rotting wood, cow dung, salt marshes, or holes in trees. They are often rather fussy about pH, salinity, temperature and lighting (Murphree and Mullen, 1991).

Information about biting midges and their biology can be obtained from

The Ceratopogonid Web Page
The Diptera Page of The Tree of Life

Family: CERATOPOGONIDAE

    Subfamily: FORCIPOMYIINAE

  1. Genus: Atrichopogon Kieffer
    Larvae are aquatic or semi-aquatic (de Meillon & Wirth, 1991).
    1. A. celibatus Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa

    2. A. distictus Kieffer
      South Africa, Zimbabwe, Congo

    3. A. falcis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    4. A. helles de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    5. A. hirsutipennis Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, West Africa and Madagascar

    6. A. luteicollis Becker
      South Africa, Egypt

    7. A. melanimus Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, Zimbabwe

    8. A. natalensis Ingram & Macfie,
      South Africa, Uganda

    9. A. phrixus de Meillon
      South Africa

    10. A. salisburiensis de Meillon
      South Africa, Zimbabwe

    11. A. turneri Ingram & Macfie,
      South Africa,


    Subfamily: DASYHELEINAE

  2. Genus: Dasyhelea
    Larvae are aquatic, often living in small, temporary habitats.
    1. D. atra de Meillon & Wirth
      Zimbabwe

    2. D. cellulana de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. D. columna de Meillon & Wirth
      Zimbabwe

    4. D. divergens de Meillon
      South Africa, Namibia

    5. D. falcata de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    6. D. fontana de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    7. D. fusca Carter, Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, Mocambique, North and West Africa, Madagascar

    8. D. gigantosalpinx de Meillon
      South Africa

    9. D. hamata de Meillon & Wirth
      Zimbabwe

    10. D. imperfecta de Meillon & Wirth
      Zimbabwe

    11. D. joycei de Meillon
      South Africa

    12. D. larundae de Meillon
      South Africa

    13. D. leporis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    14. D. matubae de Meilon
      South Africa

    15. D. mocambicana de Meillon
      Mozambique

    16. D. nigofusca Carter, Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, Ghana

    17. D. picata Macfie
      South Africa, Malawi

    18. D. salinara de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    19. D. salta de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    20. D. soutini de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    21. D. thompsoni de Meillon
      South Africa

    22. D. tranvaalensis de Meillon
      South Africa

    23. D. tugelae de Meillon
      South Africa, Zimbabwe

    24. D. upsilon de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa,


    Subfamily: CERATOPOGONINAE

    Tribe: Ceratopogonini

    "Larval habits are various, some sluggish and crawling through damp moss or algae in semi-aquatic habitats, some swimming vigorously at water surface or in deper waters: others creeping though algal mats or wet soil" (De Meillon & Wirth, 1991). Most larvae are predacious.

  3. Genus: Afrohelea Wirth
    1. A. capensis de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa


  4. Genus: Allohelea Kieffer
    1. A. makonde de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. A. maureenae de Meillon &n Wirth
      South Africa

    3. A. meeseri de Meillon
      South Africa

    4. A. mimas de Meillon
      South Africa


  5. Genus: Alluaudomyia Kieffer
    1. A. claudia de Meillon
      Zimbabwe

    2. A. cobra de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. A. congolensis de Meillon
      Zimbabwe, Congo

    4. A. libanius de Meillon
      South Africa

    5. A. louisi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    6. A. maculosa de Meillon
      South Africa

    7. A. magoebai de Meillon, Meiswinkel & Hardy
      South Africa

    8. A. meeseri de Meillon & Hardy
      Zimbabwe

    9. A. natalensis de Meillon
      South Africa

    10. A. rudolfi de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    11. A. senta de Meillon
      South Africa

    12. A. transvaalensis de Meillon
      South Africa


  6. Genus: Ankylohelea de Meillon & Wirth
    1. A. montana de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  7. Genus: Bothahelea Grogan & Wirth
    1. B. gigantostyla Grogan & Wirth
      Zimbabwe

    2. B. nama de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. B. phelpsi Grogan & Wirth
      South Africa


  8. Genus: Bothamia Meiswinkel
    1. B. demeilloni Meiswinkel
      South Africa


  9. Genus: Brachypogon Kieffer

      Subgenus: Brachypogon Kieffer

    1. B. bergensis de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    2. B. corius de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    3. B. grobleri de Meillon & Wirth
    4. B. hamiltoni de Meillon
      South Africa

    5. B. krugeri de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    6. B. libanius de Meillon
      South Africa

    7. B. sitius de Meillon
      South Africa

      Subgenus: Isohelea Kieffer

    8. B. africanus de Meillon
      South Africa


  10. Genus: Calcarhelea Wirth & Grogan
    1. C. bimater de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa


  11. Genus: Capehelea de Meillon & Wirth
    1. C. steli de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  12. Genus: Ceratohelea Wirth & Grogan
    1. C. advena de Meillon
      Zimbabwe


  13. Genus: Ceratopogon Meigen
    1. C. advena de Meillon
      Zimbabwe

    2. C. alcides de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    3. C. armipes de Meillon
      South Africa

    4. C. bimater de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    5. C. kama de Meillon
      South Africa

    6. C. meeseri de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    7. C. natalensis de Meillon
      South Africa


  14. Genus: Fanthamia de Meillon
    1. F. abditus de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. F. adulator de Meillon
      South Africa

    3. F. caniculae de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    4. F. cardinis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    5. F. carina de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    6. F. draconis de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    7. F. forsteri de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    8. F. gigantulus de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    9. F. jonkeri de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    10. F. mennoi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    11. F. montana de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    12. F. ornatipennis de Meillon
      South Africa

    13. F. sani de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa


  15. Genus: Afrohelea Wirth
    1. A. capensis de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa


  16. Genus: Kolenohelea de Meillon & Wirth
    1. K. dycei de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. K. equilis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. K. inusitata de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    4. K. jarmilae de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    5. K. leonina de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    6. K. milleri de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    7. K. mira de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    8. K. mirabunda de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    9. K. mirifica de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    10. K. monticola de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    11. K. pedi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    12. K. pugilator de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    13. K. uysorum de Meillon, Meiswinkel & Wirth
      South Africa


  17. Genus: Luciamyia de Meillon
    1. L. biloba de Meillon
      South Africa


  18. Genus: Monohelea Kieffer
    1. M. meeseri de Meillon
      South Africa, West Africa

    2. M. mimas de Meillon
      South Africa, West Africa

    3. M. nigeriae Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, West Africa

    4. M. periucunda de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    5. M. praeclara Goetghebeur
      South Africa, Congo


  19. Genus: Notoceratopogon de Meillon & Downes
    1. N. alcides de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    2. N. minutus de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    3. N. natalensis de Meillon
      South Africa

    4. N. vockerothi de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa


  20. Genus: Parabezzia Malloch
    1. P. obscura de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. P. stagni de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  21. Genus: Serromyia Meigen
    1. S. agathae de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. S. meiswinkeli de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. S. neethlingi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    4. S. nocticolor Kieffer
      South Africa

    5. S. silvatica de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    6. S. stuckenbergi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    7. S. zuluensis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  22. Genus: Stilobezzia Kieffer

      Subgenus: Neostilobezzia Goetghebeur

    1. S. luteola de Meillon
      South Africa

    2. S. natalensis de Meillon
      South Africa

      Subgenus: Stilobezzia Kieffer

    3. S. crossi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    4. S. intermedia de Meillon
      South Africa, Mozambique

    5. S. limnophila Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, Ghana

    6. S. spirogyrae Carter, Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, Aldabda, West Africa

      Subgenus: Acanthohelea Kieffer

    7. S. flavida de Meillom & Wirth
      South Africa

    8. S. fulva de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    9. S. orientis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    10. S. trimaculata de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  23. Genus: Stiloculicoides With & Grogan
    1. S. ??

    Tribe: Heteromyiini

    Immature stages are aquatic

  24. Genus: Cliniohelea Kieffer
    1. C. inspirata de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. C. usheri de Meillon
      Mozambique


  25. Genus: Pellucidomyia Macfie
    1. P. sambulena de Meillon
      Mozambique


  26. Genus: Tetrabezzia Kieffer
    1. T. soeiroi de Meillon
      Mozambique


    Tribe: Sphaeromiini

    "Larvae long and slender, vermiform, swimming" (de Meillon & Wirth, 1991).

  27. Genus: Dibezzia Kieffer
    1. D. gideoni de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  28. Genus: Homohelea Kieffer
    1. H. albitudinis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. H. delanoe de Meillon
      Zimbabwe

    3. H. melia de Meillon
      Zimbabwe, Gambia


  29. Genus: Jenkinshelea Macfie
    1. J. corea de Meillon
      Zimbabwe

    2. J. distincta de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. J. polyxenae de Meillon
      South Africa

    4. J. rhodesiensis de Meillon
      Zimbabwe, Mozambique, West Africa

    5. J. sudwalai de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  30. Genus: Johannsenomyia Malloch
    1. J. albidorsata de Meillon
      South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar

    2. J. angulosa de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa, Zimbabwe


  31. Genus: Mackerrasomyia Debenham
    1. M. zumpti de Meillon & Wirth
      Zimbabwe


  32. Genus: Macropeza Meigen
    1. M. aethopica Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa

    2. M. affinis Macfie
      South Africa

    3. M. bayeri de Meillon
      South Africa

    4. M. capensis Macfie
      South Africa

    5. M. geari de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    6. M. fluviatilis de Meillon
      South Africa

    7. M. longipes S‚guy
      Mozambique

    8. M. sibayae de Meillon
      South Africa

    9. M. stephensi Ingram & Macfie
      Zimbabwe, Ghana


  33. Genus: Mallochohelea Wirth
    1. M. aukurabis de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. M. errinae de Meillon
      South Africa

    3. M. fluminea de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    4. M. hansfordi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    5. M. luaboensis de Meillon
      Mozambique

    6. M. santaelucidae de Meillon
      South Africa,

    7. M. sidis de Meillon
      South Africa

    8. M. turneri Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa


  34. Genus: Nilobezzia Kieffer
    1. N. belligera de Meillon
      South Africa, Mozambique

    2. N. hunyani de Meillon
      Zimbabwe

    3. N. robusta de Meillon
      South Africa


  35. Genus: Sphaeromias Curtis
    1. S. eugenei de Meillon & Wirth
      Zimbabwe

    2. S. meeseri de Meillon
      Zimbabwe

    3. S. servilia de Meillon
      Mozambique

    4. S. theileri de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  36. Genus: Xenohelea Kieffer
    1. X. galatea de Meillon
      Mozambique, Madagascar


    Tribe: Palpomyiini

    Larvae are usually aquatic

  37. Genus: Bezzia Kieffer
    1. B. africana Ingram & Macfie
      South Africa, Zimbabwe, West Africa, Madagascar

    2. B. amana de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    3. B. diversipes Clastrier
      South Africa, West Africa

    4. B. edwardsi de Meillon
      Mozambique

    5. B. flavicorporis de Meillon
      South Africa

    6. B. flavoscutellatis Haeselbarth
      Zimbabwe

    7. B. haroldi de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    8. B. insolita de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    9. B. melanoflava Clastrier
      Zimbabwe, Senegal

    10. B. nicator de Meillon
      South Africa

    11. B. nigerrima Haeselbarth
      South Africa

    12. B. niokoloensis Clastrier
      Zimbabwe, Senegal

    13. B. nyasae Macfie
      South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi

    14. B. rhodesiensis Haeselbarth
      Zimbabwe

    15. B. segermanae Haeselbarth
      South Africa

    16. B. turrita de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa,

    17. B. umlalazia de Meillon
      South Africa, Mozambique

    18. B. varia Haeselbarth
      Zimbabwe

    19. B. withi Haeselbarth
      Zimbabwe


  38. Genus: Palpomyia Meigen
    1. P. armigera de Meillon & Downes
      South Africa

    2. P. bicolor Macfie,
      South Africa

    3. P. fusca de Meillon
      Mozambique

    4. P. gilva de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    5. P. kurwana de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    6. P. magali de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    7. P. nigrithorax de Meillon
      South Africa

    8. P. oliffi de Meillon & Hardy
      South Africa

    9. P. sanctaeluciae de Meillon
      South Africa

    10. P. singularis de Meillon
      South Africa

    11. P. verna de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa


  39. Genus: Phaenobezzia Haeselbarth
    1. P. beni de Meillon & Wirth
      South Africa

    2. P. cinnae de Meillon
      South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

    3. P. mashonensis Ingram & Macfie
      Zimbabwe, Mozambique, West Africa

    4. P. probata de Meillon
      South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe

    5. P. stuckenbergi Haeselbarth
      South Africa

    6. P. vacunae de Meillon
      South Africa

    7. P. zuluensis Haeselbarth
      South Africa


    Tribe: Stenoxenini

    Larvae possibly aquatic

  40. Genus: Stenoxenus Coquillet
    1. S. usutae de Meillon
      South Africa, Liberia

REFERENCES

Blanton, F.S. & Wirth, W.W. 1979.
Arthropods of Florida and neighboring land areas: the sand flies (Culicoides) of Florida (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Bureau of Entomology, Contribution No. 424 Vol. 10.
De Meillon, B. & Wirth, W.W. 1991.
The genera and subgenera (excluding Culicoides) of the Afrotropical biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) 1991. Annals of the Natal Museum 32: 27-147.
Fiedler, O.G.H. 1951.
The South African biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Ceratopogonidae, Diptera) Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 25: 3-33.
Murphree, C.S. & Mullen, G.R. 1991.
Comparative larval morphology of the genus Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in North America with a key to species. Buletin of the Society for Vector Ecology 16: 269-399.
Wirth, W.W., de Meillon, B. & Haeselbarth, E. 1980.
Family Ceratopogonidae in: R.L. Crosskey (ed.) Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical region. British Museum of Natural History, London.
This part of A Catalogue of South African Insects revised: