Wing geometry as a tool for discrimination of Obsoletus group (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) in France

In Europe, Culicoides chiopterus, Culicoides dewulfi, Culicoides obsoletus and Culicoides scoticus, which belongs to the subgenus Avaritia and Obsoletus group are the most proficient Bluetongue and Schmallenberg vectors. Within this group, correct identification based on morphological traits is difficult but essential to assess disease transmission risk. The development of new tools has revolutionized taxonomy (i.e. geometric morphometrics and molecular biology). Wing morphology is of primary importance to entomologists interested in systematics. Here, we report phenotypic differentiation patterns among the species above mentioned using a landmark-based geometric morphometric approach that efficiently identified C. chiopterus and C. dewulfi. Wing shape of the C. scoticus sample exhibited large specific variability. Based on landmarks and phylogenetic analyses (Maximum Parsimony), we suggest that Obsoletus group in Europe includes only C. obsoletus and C. scoticus. C. dewulfi and C. chiopterus are clearly excluded. Their shape seems closer to C. obsoletus that is why we suggest that only these two species should be grouped in the Obsoletus group. In addition, the concordance between phenetic clusters and phylogenies inferred from molecular data based on a fragment of the mtDNA COI gene and rDNA 28S suggests the existence of a strong signal in wing shape. These findings encourage us to use this powerful tool in taxonomic studies.