Ceratopogonidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Suborder: Nematocera Infraorder: Culicomorpha Superfamily: Chironomoidea Family: Ceratopogonidae
Subfamilies
Forcipomyiinae Dasyheleinae Ceratopogoninae Leptoconopinae

Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges (including what are called, in the United States, no-see-ums,midgies, sand flies, punkies, and others), are a family of small flies (1-4 mm long) in the order Diptera. Arthropods are Animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, " Joint " Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described True flies are Insects of the Order Diptera ( Greek: di = two and pteron = wing possessing a single pair of Nematocera are generally primitive flies, typically recognized by filamentous multi-segmented antennae which may be plumose in some males Culicomorpha is a infraorder of Nematocera. It includes Mosquitoes black flies, and several extant and extinct families of insect Chironomoidea is a Superfamily within the order Diptera, Suborder Nematocera, Infraorder Culicomorpha. Forcipomyiinae is a Subfamily of Biting midges In this subfamily both anterior and posterior Prolegs are present on Larvae Larvae are both Dasyhelea is a Genus of Biting midges and the only genus of its Subfamily, the Dasyheleinae. Ceratopogoninae is a Subfamily of Biting midges The Larvae are elongate and without Proleg or hook Leptoconops is a Genus of Biting midges the sole genus of Subfamily Leptoconopinae. Midges comprise many kinds of very small two-winged flies The term does not encapsulate a well-defined taxonomic group but includes animals in several families of Nematoceran The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Sandfly (or sand fly) is a colloquial name for any species or Genus of flying biting Blood-sucking Dipteran encountered in sandy areas True flies are Insects of the Order Diptera ( Greek: di = two and pteron = wing possessing a single pair of They are closely related to the Chironomidae, Simuliidae (or black flies), and Thaumaleidae. Chironomidae (informally known as chironomids or non-biting Midges) are a family of Nematoceran flies with a global distribution A black fly (sometimes called a buffalo Gnat, turkey gnat or white socks) is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Thaumaleidae, the solitary midges or trickle midges, are a group of Nematoceran flies related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae

They are found in almost any aquatic or semiaquatic habitat throughout the world. Females of most species are adapted to suck blood from some kind of host animal. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products In Biology, a host is an organism that harbors a Virus or Parasite, or a mutual or Commensal Symbiont, typically providing nourishment Culicoides, Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea), and Leptoconops suck vertebrate blood. Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products Some Atrichopogon and Forcipomyia are ectoparasites on larger insects. Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species. Dasyhelea feed exclusively on nectar. Species in other genera are predatory on other small insects. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic Larvae are always found in some damp location, such as under bark, in rotten wood, compost, mud, stream margins, tree holes, or water-holding plants (i. In Roman mythology, the larvae or lemures (singular lemur) were the spectres or spirits of the dead they were the malignant version of the Bark, also known as periderm is the outermost layer of stems and Roots of Woody plants such as Trees It overlays the Wood and consists Compost (ˈkɒmpɒst or US /ˈkɒmpoʊst/ also known as brown manure is the aerobically decomposed remnants of Organic matter. A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree e. , phytotelmata). Phytotelma (plural phytotelmata) is a term for water bodies held by plants

Many of the hematophagic (i. e. blood-sucking) species, are pests in beach or mountain habitats. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. Other species are important pollinators of tropical crops such as cacao. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A pollinator is the biotic agent ( vector) that moves Pollen from the male Anthers of a Flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish CACAO is a research Java Virtual Machine developed at Vienna University of Technology. The blood-sucking species may be vectors of disease-causing viruses, protozoa, and filarial worms. In Epidemiology, a vector is an Organism that does not cause Disease itself but which transmits Infection by conveying Pathogens from A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly A virus (from the Latin virus meaning Toxin or Poison) is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable Protozoa (in Greek πρῶτον proton "first" and ζῷα zoia "animals" are unicellular Eukaryotes (singular Filariasis is a disease which occurs in Domestic animals as in human beings. The bite of midges in the genus Culicoides causes an allergic response in equines known as sweet itch. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Also known as Queensland Itch, Summer Itch or more technically Culicoides Hypersensitivity.

Blood ingested by biting midges captured in an area of interest can provide legally admissible DNA identification of persons present there. Forensic entomology contains three aspects medicocriminal entomology urban entomology and Stored product entomology.

See also

• Culicoides impunctatus
• Culicoides imicola

References

External links

• British insects: the families of Diptera - Delta guides, Biodiversity and Biological Collections
• Ceratopogonidae - AAFC, Government of Canada
• The Ceratopogonidae - Inbio Site, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
• Ceratopogonid Web Page - Belmont University

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic