Culicoides dokdoensis, sp. nov. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae): A new biting midge species from Dokdo Island, Republic of Korea

Abstract

Recent molecular approaches toward insect taxonomy are revealing cryptic diversity within biting midge genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809. A new biting midge species was collected from highly restricted area of Dokdo Island, East Sea of the Republic of Korea, and was identified as Culicoides dokdoensis, sp. nov., based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding. The specimens collected from the island were previously known as Culicoides circumscriptus Kieffer, 1918, a cosmopolitan blood-feeder, due to its morphological similarity. However, the specimens from Dokdo Island can be distinguished from other congeners by the following characters: more curved arms in male aedeagus, wing spot pattern, sensory pit depth, and absence of a spermatheca neck in female. In addition, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I sequence exhibited substantial genetic difference compared to C. circumscriptus populations from the Korean Peninsula, sufficiently supporting the genetic differentiation between the two species. The discovery of this cryptic species highlights the necessity of integrated taxonomy for Culicoides.