The early Stages of British Biting Midges Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and allied Genera

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Abstract
This paper presents a key to the larvae and pupae of 28 species of Culicoides found in Britain and to larvae and pupae of the genera Stilobezzia, Serromyia and Ceratopogon including the subgenera Ceratopogon and Isohelea. The keys are supplemented by descriptions of the larvae and pupae, including photographs of the fourth instars and figures of the so-called “hypopharynx” —the true epipharynx—of most of the larvae and by figures of specific characters of the pupae. Twenty-eight species of Culicoides larvae are described:—C. albicans, C. chiopterus, C. circumscriptus, C. cubitalis, C. cunctans, C. delta, C. fascipennis, C. grisescens, C. halophilus, C. heliophilus, C. impunctatus, C. lupicaris, C. maritimus, C. nubeculosus, C. obsoletus, C. odibilis, C. pcdlidicornis, C. pictipennis, C. pseudochiopterus, C. pulicaris, C. punctatus, C. riethi, C. salinarius, C. scoticus, C. simulator, C. stigma, C. truncorum, and C. vexans. The descriptions of the pupae include all the above, with the addition of C. parroti.An analysis has been made of the breeding preferences of Culicoides and it was found that species could be placed in one of six groups depending on the larval habitat. The six categories were:— (i) Bog, (ii) Fresh Water Marsh, (iii) Swamp, (iv) Mud, (v) Salt Water Marsh and (vi) Dung.The vertical distributions of seven species of Culicoides larvae are given. There are marked differences between the species in this respect.

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