Morphological characteristics of antennal and maxillary palp sensilla in three East Asian biting midges, Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

Authors

Da-Reum Heo, Ulziijargal Bayarsaikhan, Jin Hyeok Choi, Abdulkadir Yusif Maigoro, Yang-Seop Bae, Hyung Wook Kwon

Published in

Journal of medical entomology. Volume 63. Issue 4. Jul 01, 2026.

Abstract

The genus Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) comprises small hematophagous insects that transmit a range of arboviruses. Hematophagous insects depend on olfactory sensilla on their antennae and maxillary palps to detect various environmental odors, enabling them to select oviposition sites, locate hosts, and mate. However, studies on the morphology and distribution of Culicoides sensilla are limited to major European and African species. In this study, we observed the types and distribution of sensilla on the antennae and maxillary palps of Culicoides arakawae, Culicoides punctatus, and Culicoides tainanus, species commonly found in East Asian countries using scanning electron microscopy. Seven types of sensilla were observed on the antennae and maxillary palps. We found that the composition and distribution of sensilla varied among species. Furthermore, some sensilla exhibited morphological characteristics not previously reported in the literature. This study provides baseline data on the distribution and morphology of sensory organs of Culicoides species collected in East Asia. The present study will expand morphological data that have been limited to certain regions and contribute to the interpretation of future electrophysiological recordings.

PMID:
42444069
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Jul 2026.

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