Jump to content
Main menu
Navigation
  • Main page
  • Contents
  • Current events
  • Random article
  • About Wikipedia
  • Contact us
Contribute
  • Help
  • Learn to edit
  • Community portal
  • Recent changes
  • Upload file
  • Special pages
Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia
Search
  • Donate
  • Create account
  • Log in
  • Donate
  • Create account
  • Log in
Pages for logged out editors learn more
  • Contributions
  • Talk

Contents

  • (Top)
  • 1 Classification
    • 1.1 Extinct families
  • 2 References

Culicomorpha

  • العربية
  • Català
  • Español
  • Euskara
  • فارسی
  • Français
  • 한국어
  • Hrvatski
  • Italiano
  • Latviešu
  • مصرى
  • Norsk bokmål
  • Русский
  • Suomi
  • தமிழ்
  • Українська
  • Tiếng Việt
Edit links
  • Article
  • Talk
  • Read
  • Edit
  • View history
Tools
Actions
  • Read
  • Edit
  • View history
General
  • What links here
  • Related changes
  • Upload file
  • Permanent link
  • Page information
  • Cite this page
  • Get shortened URL
  • Download QR code
Print/export
  • Download as PDF
  • Printable version
In other projects
  • Wikimedia Commons
  • Wikispecies
  • Wikidata item
Appearance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Infraorder of flies

Culicomorpha
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Nematocera
Infraorder: Culicomorpha
Hennig, 1948
Superfamilies

Culicoidea
Chironomoidea
See text for families.

The Culicomorpha are an infraorder of Nematocera, including mosquitoes, black flies, and several extant and extinct families of insects.[1] They originated 176 million years ago, in the Triassic period. There are phylogenetic patterns that are used to interpret bionomic features such as differences in the nature of blood-feeding by adult females, daytime or nighttime feeding by adult females, and occurrence of immature stages in aquatic habitats.[1]

Most adult, females lay their eggs on bodies of water. Some are restricted to very clean waters, but others can tolerate highly polluted environments.[2]

Many adults transmit parasites or diseases that can be debilitating or fatal to humans, such as malaria and West Nile virus. Biting midges can transmit an extensive range of pathogens of veterinary importance, including Akabane virus, bovine ephemeral fever virus, Schmallenberg virus, African horse sickness virus, epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus, and bluetongue virus.[3][4]

Classification

[edit]

The Culicomorpha comprises eight extant families divided into two superfamilies. It was described based on phylogenetic analyses of morphological features.[5][6][7]

  • Superfamily Culicoidea
    • Dixidae - meniscus midges
    • Corethrellidae - frog-biting midges
    • Chaoboridae – phantom midges
    • Culicidae – mosquitoes
  • Superfamily Chironomoidea
    • Thaumaleidae – solitary midges
    • Simuliidae – black flies and buffalo gnats
    • Ceratopogonidae – biting midges
    • Chironomidae – nonbiting midges

The monophyly of Culicomorpha and Culicoidea have been confirmed in subsequent morphological and molecular studies, but several studies have found Chironomoidea to be paraphyletic.[6][7][8] A morphological study in 2012, using characters from all life stages (egg, larva, pupae and adult), found that Chironomidae branched first and a sister relationship between Culicoidea and a clade of Simuliidae, Ceratopogonidae and Thamaleidae. A new superfamily, Simulioidea, was proposed for the latter clade and restricted Chironomoidea to Chironomidae.[1] A phylogenomic analysis in 2018 also found a paraphyletic Chironomoidea and a close relationship between Simuliidae and Thamaleidae, but in this study Ceratopoginidae grouped with Chironomidae.[8] The phylogenetic trees below illustrate the different arrangements.

Traditional morphological[5]
Culicomorpha
Chironomoidea

Thaumaleidae

Simuliidae

Ceratopogonidae

Chironomidae

Culicoidea

Dixidae

Corethrellidae

Chaoboridae

Culicidae

Revised morphological[1]
Culicomorpha
Chironomoidea

Chironomidae

Simulioidea

Ceratopogonidae

Thaumaleidae

Simuliidae

Culicoidea

Dixidae

Corethrellidae

Chaoboridae

Culicidae

Phylogenomic[8]
Culicomorpha
Chironomoidea

Chironomidae

Ceratopogonidae

Simulioidea

Thaumaleidae

Simuliidae

Culicoidea

Dixidae

Corethrellidae

Chaoboridae

Culicidae


Extinct families

[edit]
  • Asiochaoboridae (Upper Jurassic)
  • Architendipedidae (Upper Triassic)
  • Protendipedidae (Middle Jurassic)
  • Mesophantasmatidae (Middle Jurassic)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Borkent, Art (2012). "The pupae of Culicomorpha : morphology and a new phylogenetic tree" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3396 (1). doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3396.1. ISBN 978-1-86977-957-3. OCLC 807999306.
  2. ^ Ecology and General Biology. James H. Thorp, D. Christopher Rogers (4th ed.). London: Academic Press. 2015. ISBN 978-0-12-385027-0. OCLC 899273856.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ Carpenter, Simon; Groschup, Martin H.; Garros, Claire; Felippe-Bauer, Maria Luiza; Purse, Bethan V. (October 2013). "Culicoides biting midges, arboviruses and public health in Europe". Antiviral Research. 100 (1): 102–113. doi:10.1016/j.antiviral.2013.07.020. ISSN 1872-9096. PMID 23933421.
  4. ^ Carpenter, S.; Veronesi, E.; Mullens, B.; Venter, G. (April 2015). "Vector competence of Culicoides for arboviruses: three major periods of research, their influence on current studies and future directions". Revue Scientifique et Technique (International Office of Epizootics). 34 (1): 97–112. doi:10.20506/rst.34.1.2347. ISSN 0253-1933. PMID 26470451.
  5. ^ a b Wood, D. M.; Borkent, A. (1989). "Phylogeny and Classilication of the Nematocera". In McAlpine, J.F.; Woods, D.M. (eds.). Manual of Nearctic Diptera, vol. 3 (PDF). Ottawa: Agriculture Canada Research Branch.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  6. ^ a b Yeates, David K.; Weigmann, Brian M; Courtney, Greg W.; Meier, Rudolf; Lambkins, Christine; Pape, Thomas (2007). "Phylogeny and systematics of Diptera: Two decades of progress and prospects". Zootaxa. 1668: 565–590. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1668.1.27.
  7. ^ a b Bertone, Matthew A.; Courtney, Gregory W.; Wiegmann, Brian M. (2008). "Phylogenetics and temporal diversification of the earliest true flies (Insecta: Diptera) based on multiple nuclear genes" (PDF). Systematic Entomology. 33 (4): 668–687. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2008.00437.x. S2CID 54781592.
  8. ^ a b c Narayanan Kutty, Sujatha; Wong, Wing Hing; Meusemann, Karen; Meier, Rudolf; Cranston, Peter S. (2018). "A phylogenomic analysis of Culicomorpha (Diptera) resolves the relationships among the eight constituent families". Systematic Entomology. 43 (3): 434–446. doi:10.1111/syen.12285. S2CID 90255287.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Extant Diptera families
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Subclass: Pterygota
  • Infraclass: Neoptera
  • Superorder: Holometabola
Suborder Nematocera
Axymyiomorpha
  • Axymyiidae
Culicomorpha
Culicoidea
  • Dixidae (meniscus midges)
  • Corethrellidae (frog-biting midges)
  • Chaoboridae (phantom midges)
  • Culicidae (mosquitoes)
Chironomoidea
  • Thaumaleidae (solitary midges)
  • Simuliidae (black flies)
  • Ceratopogonidae (biting midges)
  • Chironomidae (non-biting midges)
Blephariceromorpha
  • Blephariceridae (net-winged midges)
  • Deuterophlebiidae (mountain midges)
  • Nymphomyiidae
Bibionomorpha
Bibionoidea
  • Bibionidae (march flies, lovebugs)
Anisopodoidea
  • Anisopodidae (wood gnats)
Sciaroidea
(fungus gnats)
  • Bolitophilidae
  • Cecidomyiidae (gall midges)
  • Diadocidiidae
  • Ditomyiidae
  • Keroplatidae (predatory fungus gnats)
  • Lygistorrhinidae (long-beaked fungus gnats)
  • Mycetophilidae
  • Rangomaramidae (long-winged fungus gnats)
  • Sciaridae (dark-winged fungus gnats)
Perissommatomorpha
  • Perissommatidae
Psychodomorpha
Scatopsoidea
  • Canthyloscelidae
  • Scatopsidae (minute black scavenger flies, or dung midges)
  • Valeseguyidae
Psychodoidea
  • Psychodidae (moth flies)
Ptychopteromorpha
  • Ptychopteridae (phantom crane flies)
  • Tanyderidae (primitive crane flies)
Tipulomorpha
Trichoceroidea
  • Trichoceridae (winter crane flies)
Tipuloidea
(crane flies)
  • Cylindrotomidae (long-bodied crane flies)
  • Limoniidae (limoniid crane flies)
  • Pediciidae (hairy-eyed craneflies)
  • Tipulidae (large crane flies)
Suborder Brachycera
Asilomorpha
Asiloidea
  • Apioceridae (flower-loving flies)
  • Apsilocephalidae
  • Apystomyiidae
  • Asilidae (robber flies)
  • Bombyliidae (bee flies)
  • Evocoidae
  • Hilarimorphidae (hilarimorphid flies)
  • Mydidae (mydas flies)
  • Mythicomyiidae
  • Scenopinidae (window flies)
  • Therevidae (stiletto flies)
Empidoidea
  • Atelestidae
  • Dolichopodidae (long-legged flies)
  • Empididae (dagger flies, balloon flies)
  • Homalocnemiidae
  • Hybotidae (dance flies)
  • Oreogetonidae
  • Ragadidae
Nemestrinoidea
  • Acroceridae (small-headed flies)
  • Nemestrinidae (tangle-veined flies)
Muscomorpha
Aschiza
Platypezoidea
  • Ironomyiidae (ironic flies)
  • Lonchopteridae (spear-winged flies)
  • Opetiidae (flat-footed flies)
  • Phoridae (scuttle flies, coffin flies, humpbacked flies)
  • Platypezidae (flat-footed flies)
Syrphoidea
  • Pipunculidae (big-headed flies)
  • Syrphidae (hoverflies)
Schizophora
Acalyptratae
Conopoidea
  • Conopidae (thick-headed flies)
Tephritoidea
  • Pallopteridae (flutter flies)
  • Piophilidae (cheese flies)
  • Platystomatidae (signal flies)
  • Pyrgotidae
  • Richardiidae
  • Tephritidae (peacock flies)
  • Ulidiidae (picture-winged flies)
Nerioidea
  • Cypselosomatidae
  • Micropezidae (stilt-legged flies)
  • Neriidae (cactus flies, banana stalk flies)
Diopsoidea
  • Diopsidae (stalk-eyed flies)
  • Gobryidae
  • Megamerinidae
  • Nothybidae
  • Psilidae (rust flies)
  • Somatiidae
  • Strongylophthalmyiidae
  • Syringogastridae
  • Tanypezidae
Sciomyzoidea
  • Coelopidae (kelp flies)
  • Dryomyzidae
  • Helcomyzidae
  • Helosciomyzidae
  • Heterocheilidae
  • Huttoninidae
  • Natalimyzidae
  • Phaeomyiidae
  • Ropalomeridae
  • Sciomyzidae (marsh flies)
  • Sepsidae (black scavenger flies)
Sphaeroceroidea
  • Chyromyidae
  • Heleomyzidae
  • Nannodastiidae
  • Sphaeroceridae (small dung flies)
Lauxanioidea
  • Celyphidae (beetle-backed flies)
  • Chamaemyiidae (aphid flies)
  • Cremifaniidae
  • Lauxaniidae
Opomyzoidea
  • Agromyzidae (leaf miner flies)
  • Anthomyzidae
  • Asteiidae
  • Aulacigastridae (sap flies)
  • Clusiidae (lekking, or druid flies)
  • Fergusoninidae
  • Marginidae
  • Neminidae
  • Neurochaetidae (upside-down flies)
  • Odiniidae
  • Opomyzidae
  • Periscelididae
  • Teratomyzidae
  • Xenasteiidae
Ephydroidea
  • Camillidae
  • Curtonotidae (quasimodo flies)
  • Diastatidae (bog flies)
  • Drosophilidae (vinegar and fruit flies)
  • Ephydridae (shore flies)
  • Mormotomyiidae (frightful hairy fly)
Carnoidea
  • Acartophthalmidae
  • Australimyzidae
  • Braulidae (bee lice)
  • Canacidae (beach flies)
  • Carnidae
  • Chloropidae (frit flies)
  • Inbiomyiidae
  • Milichiidae (freeloader flies)
Lonchaeoidea
  • Cryptochetidae
  • Lonchaeidae (lance flies)
Calyptratae
Muscoidea
  • Anthomyiidae (cabbage flies)
  • Fanniidae (little house flies)
  • Muscidae (house flies, stable flies)
  • Scathophagidae (dung flies)
Oestroidea
  • Calliphoridae (blow-flies: bluebottles, greenbottles)
  • Mesembrinellidae
  • Mystacinobiidae (New Zealand batfly)
  • Oestridae (botflies)
  • Rhiniidae
  • Rhinophoridae
  • Sarcophagidae (flesh flies)
  • Tachinidae (tachina flies)
  • Ulurumyiidae
Hippoboscoidea
  • Glossinidae (tsetse flies)
  • Hippoboscidae (louse flies)
  • Nycteribiidae (bat flies)
  • Streblidae (bat flies)
Stratiomyomorpha
Stratiomyoidea
  • Pantophthalmidae (timber flies)
  • Stratiomyidae (soldier flies)
  • Xylomyidae (wood soldier flies)
Tabanomorpha
Rhagionoidea
  • Austroleptidae
  • Bolbomyiidae
  • Rhagionidae (snipe flies)
Tabanoidea
  • Athericidae (water snipe flies)
  • Oreoleptidae
  • Pelecorhynchidae
  • Tabanidae (horse and deer flies)
Vermileonomorpha
Vermileonoidea
  • Vermileonidae
Xylophagomorpha
Xylophagoidea
  • Xylophagidae (awl flies)
List of families of Diptera
Taxon identifiers
Culicomorpha
  • Wikidata: Q950698
  • Wikispecies: Culicomorpha
  • AFD: CULICOMORPHA
  • BioLib: 17361
  • BugGuide: 97794
  • EoL: 2690345
  • Fauna Europaea: 11642
  • Fauna Europaea (new): 8093ba20-d1d3-4ef3-a71d-80294851651e
  • iNaturalist: 153429
  • ITIS: 125808
  • NBN: NBNSYS0100019221
  • NCBI: 43786
  • NZOR: ffb101de-32a8-4cdd-b21c-9feeba70603a
  • Open Tree of Life: 860946
  • Paleobiology Database: 142047
  • WoRMS: 150928
Authority control databases: National Edit this at Wikidata
  • Czech Republic


Stub icon

This article related to members of the fly infraorder Culicomorpha is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Culicomorpha&oldid=1289680685"
Categories:
  • Culicomorpha
  • Insect infraorders
  • Culicomorpha stubs
Hidden categories:
  • CS1 maint: others
  • CS1 maint: publisher location
  • Articles with short description
  • Short description is different from Wikidata
  • Articles with 'species' microformats
  • All stub articles
  • This page was last edited on 10 May 2025, at 04:43 (UTC).
  • Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
  • Privacy policy
  • About Wikipedia
  • Disclaimers
  • Contact Wikipedia
  • Code of Conduct
  • Developers
  • Statistics
  • Cookie statement
  • Mobile view
  • Wikimedia Foundation
  • Powered by MediaWiki
Culicomorpha
Add topic