North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria
Discoveries of endemic species highlight areas of biogeographic and conservation interest. Endemic species, however, are often morphologically disguised as more common and widespread species. The larval polytene chromosomes revealed a new species of black fly, <i>Prosimulium fungiforme</i&g...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/3/150 |
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| author | Peter H. Adler Sabrina Haouchine Boutaïna Belqat Abdelkader Lounaci |
| author_facet | Peter H. Adler Sabrina Haouchine Boutaïna Belqat Abdelkader Lounaci |
| author_sort | Peter H. Adler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Discoveries of endemic species highlight areas of biogeographic and conservation interest. Endemic species, however, are often morphologically disguised as more common and widespread species. The larval polytene chromosomes revealed a new species of black fly, <i>Prosimulium fungiforme</i>, from the Djurdjura Mountains of northern Algeria, and its female, male, pupa, and larva are described. The species is chromosomally unique; none of its 11 chromosomal rearrangements are shared with other species. Although the new species structurally resembles <i>Prosimulium rufipes</i> (Meigen) with which it previously has been confused, it can be distinguished from all other known species of <i>Prosimulium</i> in the Western Palearctic based on at least one character in each described life stage. Symbiotic organisms included two species of microsporidia, at least one of which is probably undescribed, one unknown protozoan pathogen novel in simuliids, and the trichomycete fungus <i>Harpella melusinae</i> Léger and Duboscq. Associated simuliid species included at least one new species of the genus <i>Helodon</i>. The new species of <i>Prosimulium</i> is tentatively considered endemic to the mountains of northern Algeria but might be expected in the mountains of eastern Morocco and northern Tunisia and perhaps in Sicily. If its endemic status holds, it would be the only nominal species of black fly unique to Algeria. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:10:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a514bd2a445849728a1360e5d2e09195 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:10:30Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-a514bd2a445849728a1360e5d2e091952024-03-27T13:47:11ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-02-0115315010.3390/insects15030150North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of AlgeriaPeter H. Adler0Sabrina Haouchine1Boutaïna Belqat2Abdelkader Lounaci3Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USANatural Resources Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Agronomic Sciences, Mouloud Mammeri University, Tizi Ouzou 15000, AlgeriaLaboratory of Ecology, Systematics, Conservation of Biodiversity (LESCB), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, CNRST Labeled Research Unit N°18, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tétouan 93030, MoroccoNatural Resources Laboratory, Department of Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Agronomic Sciences, Mouloud Mammeri University, Tizi Ouzou 15000, AlgeriaDiscoveries of endemic species highlight areas of biogeographic and conservation interest. Endemic species, however, are often morphologically disguised as more common and widespread species. The larval polytene chromosomes revealed a new species of black fly, <i>Prosimulium fungiforme</i>, from the Djurdjura Mountains of northern Algeria, and its female, male, pupa, and larva are described. The species is chromosomally unique; none of its 11 chromosomal rearrangements are shared with other species. Although the new species structurally resembles <i>Prosimulium rufipes</i> (Meigen) with which it previously has been confused, it can be distinguished from all other known species of <i>Prosimulium</i> in the Western Palearctic based on at least one character in each described life stage. Symbiotic organisms included two species of microsporidia, at least one of which is probably undescribed, one unknown protozoan pathogen novel in simuliids, and the trichomycete fungus <i>Harpella melusinae</i> Léger and Duboscq. Associated simuliid species included at least one new species of the genus <i>Helodon</i>. The new species of <i>Prosimulium</i> is tentatively considered endemic to the mountains of northern Algeria but might be expected in the mountains of eastern Morocco and northern Tunisia and perhaps in Sicily. If its endemic status holds, it would be the only nominal species of black fly unique to Algeria.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/3/150aquatic insectsmicrosporidiapolytene chromosomes<i>Prosimulium</i>streamstaxonomy |
| spellingShingle | Peter H. Adler Sabrina Haouchine Boutaïna Belqat Abdelkader Lounaci North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria Insects aquatic insects microsporidia polytene chromosomes <i>Prosimulium</i> streams taxonomy |
| title | North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria |
| title_full | North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria |
| title_fullStr | North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria |
| title_short | North African Endemism: A New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria |
| title_sort | north african endemism a new species of black fly diptera simuliidae from the djurdjura mountains of algeria |
| topic | aquatic insects microsporidia polytene chromosomes <i>Prosimulium</i> streams taxonomy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/3/150 |
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