''Austrosimulium'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of 31

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of black flies that are distributed in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. There are 2

subgenera In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

: ''

Austrosimulium ''Austrosimulium'' is a genus of 31 species of black flies that are distributed in Australia and New Zealand. There are 2 subgenera: ''Austrosimulium'' whose species are principally from New Zealand, and ''Novaustrosimulium'' which are exclusivel ...

'' whose species are principally from New Zealand, and ''

Novaustrosimulium ''Novaustrosimulium'' is a subgenus of ''Austrosimulium'', a genus made up of black flies. The flies in this subgenus are found exclusively in Australia. Species *'' A. bancrofti'' Taylor, 1918 (type species In zoological nomenclature, a t ...

'' which are exclusively Australian. ''Austrosimulium'' is a sister genus to the monospecific '' Paraustrosimulium'' of South America. Some species are known to spread the

protozoa Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histo ...

n blood parasite ''

Leucocytozoon tawaki ''Leucocytozoon '' (or ''Leukocytozoon'') is a genus of parasitic alveolates belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa (which also includes the malaria parasites). The species of this genus use either blackflies (''Simulium'' species) or a biting ...

'' in

penguin Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...

s. In New Zealand, where they are known as ''

sandflies Sandfly (or sand fly) is a colloquial name for any species or genus of flying, biting, blood-sucking dipteran (fly) encountered in sandy areas. In the United States, ''sandfly'' may refer to certain horse flies that are also known as "greenhea ...

'' or namu (in

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

from Proto-Austronesian *''ñamuk'' " mosquito", compare with ms, nyamuk), three species – '' A. australense'', '' A. tillyardianum'' and '' A. ungulatum'' – bite humans.

Species

*Subgenus ''

'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. albovelatum'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. alveolatum'' Dumbleton, 1973Craig, D.A.; Craig, R.E.G.; Crosby, T.K. 2012
Simuliidae (Insecta: Diptera).
''Fauna of New Zealand'', (68) **'' A. australense'' ( Schiner, 1868) **'' A. bicorne'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. campbellense'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. cornutum'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. crassipes'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. dugdalei'' Craig, Craig & Crosby, 2012 **'' A. dumbletoni'' Crosby, 1976 **'' A. extendorum'' Craig, Craig & Crosby, 2012 **'' A. fiordense'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. fulvicorne'' Mackerras & Mackerras, 1950 **'' A. laticorne'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. longicorne'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. mirabile'' Mackerras & Mackerras, 1948 **'' A. montanum'' Mackerras & Mackerras, 1952 **'' A. multicorne'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. stewartense'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. tillyardianum'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. tonnoiri'' Craig, Craig & Crosby, 2012 **'' A. ungulatum'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. unicorne'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. vailavoense'' Craig, Craig & Crosby, 2012 **'' A. vexans'' ( Mik, 1881) *Subgenus ''

'' Dumbleton, 1973 **'' A. bancrofti'' (Taylor, 1918) **'' A. furiosum'' ( Skuse, 1889) **'' A. magnum'' Mackerras & Mackerras, 1955 **'' A. pestilens'' Mackerras & Mackerras, 1948 **'' A. torrentium'' Tonnoir, 1925 **'' A. victoriae'' (Roubaud, 1906) *''Austrosimulium'' species as yet unplaced **'' A. colboi'' Davies & Györkös, 1988

Literature cited

External links

* * https://web.archive.org/web/20130208160901/http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/AbtCit/ei/EcoWtr/macroinv/macroinvertebrates.asp , page with many Macroinvertebrates listed, described and illustrated Simuliidae Culicomorpha genera {{Chironomoidea-stub