''Simulium'' is a genus of black flies, which may transmit diseases such as

onchocerciasis Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm ''Onchocerca volvulus''. Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin, and blindness. It is the second-most common cause of blindne ...

(river blindness). It is a large genus with several hundred species, and 41

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 ...

. The flies are pool feeders. Their saliva, which contains anticoagulants, a number of enzymes and histamine, is mixed with the blood, preventing clotting until it is ingested by the fly. These bites cause localized tissue damage, and if the number of feeding flies is sufficient, their feeding may produce a blood-loss anaemia. The host's reaction to fly attacks may include systemic illness, allergic reactions or even death, presumably mediated by histamine. In humans, this systemic reaction is known as "black fly fever" and is characterized by headaches, fever, nausea, adenitis, generalized dermatitis, and allergic asthma.

Systematics

Subgenera: * '' Afrosimulium'' Crosskey, 1969 * '' Anasolen'' Enderlein, 1930 * '' Asiosimulium'' Takaoka & Choochote, 2005 * '' Aspathia'' Enderlein, 1935 * '' Boophthora'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Boreosimulium'' Rubtsov & Yankovsky, 1982 * '' Byssodon'' Enderlein, 1925 * '' Chirostilbia'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Crosskeyellum'' Grenier & Bailly-Choumara, 1970 * '' Daviesellum'' Takaoka & Adler, 1997 * '' Ectemnaspis'' Enderlein, 1934 * '' Edwardsellum'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Eusimulium'' Roubaud, 1906 * '' Freemanellum'' Crosskey, 1969 * '' Gomphostilbia'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Hebridosimulium'' Grenier & Rageau, 1961 * '' Hellichiella'' Rivosecchi & Cardinali, 1975 * '' Hemicnetha'' Enderlein, 1934 * '' Inaequalium'' Coscarón & Wygodzinsky, 1984 * '' Inseliellum'' Rubtsov, 1974 * '' Lewisellum'' Crosskey, 1969 * '' Meilloniellum'' Rubtsov, 1962 * '' Metomphalus'' Enderlein, 1935 * '' Montisimulium'' Rubtsov, 1974 * '' Morops'' Enderlein, 1930 * '' Nevermannia'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Notolepria'' Enderlein, 1930 * '' Obuchovia'' Rubtsov, 1947 * '' Phoretomyia'' Crosskey, 1969 * '' Pomeroyellum'' Rubtsov, 1962 * '' Psaroniocompsa'' Enderlein, 1934 * '' Psilopelmia'' Enderlein, 1934 * '' Psilozia'' Enderlein, 1936 * '' Pternaspatha'' Enderlein, 1930 * '' Rubzovia'' Petrova, 1983 * '' Schoenbaueria'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Simulium'' Latreille, 1802 * '' Trichodagmia'' Enderlein, 1934 * '' Wallacellum'' Takaoka, 1983 * '' Wilhelmia'' Enderlein, 1921 * '' Xenosimulium'' Crosskey, 1969 Species: *

List of Simulium species This is a list of 1778 species in ''Simulium'', a genus of black flies in the family Simuliidae. ''Simulium'' species A * ''Simulium abadii'' Takaoka, 2003 * ''Simulium abatanense'' Takaoka, 1983 * ''Simulium abberrans'' Delfinado, 1969 * ''Sim ...

In Balkan folklore

Serbian mythology Slavic mythology or Slavic religion is the religious Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, te ...

there is a legend concerning an ala (demon) (a female entity associated with hailstorms, madness and disease) fabled to have died in a cave near the town of Golubac in the Pozarevac District in Eastern Serbia. The rotting corpse of this being is said to send forth each Spring a swarm of Golubatz flies - individuals of the species ''

Simulium colombaschense ''Simulium'' is a genus of black flies, which may transmit diseases such as onchocerciasis (river blindness). It is a large genus with several hundred species, and 41 subgenera. The flies are pool feeders. Their saliva, which contains anticoa ...

''. The fact that the Golubatz fly is a voracious bloodsucker and disease vector accords well with the functions attributed to the ala, emphasising her malign potency - even in death - while the legend provides, reciprocally, a folkloric explanation for the genesis of so unpleasant an insect. The specific name ''colombaschense'' signifies 'of Golubac' (Serbian pronunciation: 'Golubatz' ) - the name of the village (signifying '' dovecote'' from Slavic ''golub'' a dove/pigeon (see Columbidae), cognate with Latin (language) ''columba'', having the same meaning). ''S. colombaschense'' was a notorious insect pest of the Banat (part of the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the Danube), during the 18th century.Thompson, F. Christian (March 2001). "The Name of the Type Species of Simulium (Diptera: Simuliidae): an historical footnote". Entomological News 112 (2): 125. Retrieved 2011-04-08.

References

Bibliography

* Crosskey R. W. ; ''The natural history of blackflies.'' Willey, New York, 1990. * Honomichl K. ; Bellmann, H. ; ''Biologie und Ökologie der Insekten.'' CD-Rom. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, 1994. * Jedlicka, L.; Stloukalova V. ; ''Family Simuliidae.'' pp. 331–347 in: Papp, L. and Darvas, B. (eds.): ''Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera'', Volume 2. Science Herald, Budapest, 1997. * Jensen, F. ; Diptera Simuliidae, Blackflies. pp. 209–241 in: Nilsson, A.N. (ed.): ''Aquatic Insects of North Europe. A Taxonomic Handbook''. Apollo Books, Stenstrup, 1997. * Kim, K. C. ; Merritt, R. W. (Eds.) ; ''Black flies, ecology, population management, and annotat. world list.'' University Park, London, 1987. * Laird, M. (Ed.) ; ''Blackflies.'' Academic Press, London, 1981. * Lechthaler, W. ; Car, M. ; ''Simuliidae − Key to Larvae and Pupae from Central− and Western Europe''. Vienna 2005, * Seitz, G. ; ''Verbreitung und Ökologie der Kriebelmücken (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Niederbayern.'' in: ''Lauterbornia.'' Mauch, Dinkelscherben 11.1992, pp. 1–230. * Timm, T. ; ''Dormanzformen bei Kriebelmücken unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Ei-Stadiums (Diptera: Simuliidae).'' in: ''Entomologia generalis.'' Schweizerbart, Stuttgart 12.1987, 133-142. * Timm, T. ; ''Unterschiede in Habitatselektion und Eibiologie bei sympatrischen Kriebelmückenarten (Diptera, Simuliidae).'' in: ''Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Allgemeine und Angewandte Entomologie.'' Bremen 6.1988, 156-158. * Timm, T. ; Rühm, W. (Hrsg.) ; ''Beiträge zur Taxonomie, Faunistik und Ökologie der Kriebelmücken in Mitteleuropa.'' Essener Ökologische Schriften. Bd.2. Westarp Wissenschaften, Magdeburg 1993. * Wichard, W. ; Arens, W. ; Eisenbeis, G. ; ''Atlas zur Biologie der Wasserinsekten.'' Stuttgart, 1994. * Wirtz, H. P. ; ''Analyse der Histaminanteile im Speichel verschiedener Kriebelmückenarten (Diptera: Simuliidae).'' in: ''Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Allgemeine und Angewandte Entomologie.'' Bremen 6.1988, 441-442. Insect vectors of human pathogens Culicomorpha genera {{Chironomoidea-stub