The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data

DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is increasingly employed in blackfly taxonomy to resolve identification challenges within species complexes. This study evaluates two competing hypotheses: whether the populations of the subgenus Nevermannia in Central Continental...

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Datum:2026
Hauptverfasser: Zinchenko, M. O., Sukhomlin, K. B., Zinchenko, O. P., Tepliuk, V. S.
Format: Artikel
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: Publishing House "Akademperiodyka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2026
Online Zugang:https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/913
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author Zinchenko, M. O.
Sukhomlin, K. B.
Zinchenko, O. P.
Tepliuk, V. S.
author_facet Zinchenko, M. O.
Sukhomlin, K. B.
Zinchenko, O. P.
Tepliuk, V. S.
author_sort Zinchenko, M. O.
baseUrl_str https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/oai
collection OJS
datestamp_date 2026-04-28T19:49:27Z
description DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is increasingly employed in blackfly taxonomy to resolve identification challenges within species complexes. This study evaluates two competing hypotheses: whether the populations of the subgenus Nevermannia in Central Continental Europe represent three distinct species (Simulium angustitarse, S. lundstromi, and S. volhynicum) as traditionally recognised, or a single, highly plastic species complex. To test these models, samples were collected from the Ukrainian Polissia (Volyn Region) and compared with datasets from Finland, Germany, Bulgaria, and the United Kingdom. While populations in the Carpathians and the Balkans may exhibit greater genetic divergence, our results demonstrate that the populations from Volyn are conspecific with those from Finland — the type locality of S. angustitarse. Despite notable morphological and ecological variation, the lack of significant molecular differentiation across this Continental European range supports the hypothesis of a single, highly plastic species complex. Consequently, Simulium angustitarse Lundstrom, 1911 is established as a senior synonym of Simulium volhynicum (Usova & Sukhomlin, 1990), syn. n.
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spelling oai:ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua:article-9132026-04-28T19:49:27Z The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data Zinchenko, M. O. Sukhomlin, K. B. Zinchenko, O. P. Tepliuk, V. S. black flies Ukraine mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) taxonomy genetic distance phenotypic plasticity DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is increasingly employed in blackfly taxonomy to resolve identification challenges within species complexes. This study evaluates two competing hypotheses: whether the populations of the subgenus Nevermannia in Central Continental Europe represent three distinct species (Simulium angustitarse, S. lundstromi, and S. volhynicum) as traditionally recognised, or a single, highly plastic species complex. To test these models, samples were collected from the Ukrainian Polissia (Volyn Region) and compared with datasets from Finland, Germany, Bulgaria, and the United Kingdom. While populations in the Carpathians and the Balkans may exhibit greater genetic divergence, our results demonstrate that the populations from Volyn are conspecific with those from Finland — the type locality of S. angustitarse. Despite notable morphological and ecological variation, the lack of significant molecular differentiation across this Continental European range supports the hypothesis of a single, highly plastic species complex. Consequently, Simulium angustitarse Lundstrom, 1911 is established as a senior synonym of Simulium volhynicum (Usova & Sukhomlin, 1990), syn. n. Publishing House "Akademperiodyka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2026-03-02 Article Article application/pdf https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/913 10.15407/zoo2026.02.179 Zoodiversity; Vol. 60 No. 2 (2026): Zoodiversity Zoodiversity (Vestnik Zoologii); Том 60 № 2 (2026): Zoodiversity 2707-7268 2707-725X 10.15407/zoo2026.02 en https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/913/390 Copyright (c) 2026 Катерина Сухомлін
spellingShingle Zinchenko, M. O.
Sukhomlin, K. B.
Zinchenko, O. P.
Tepliuk, V. S.
The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
title The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
title_full The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
title_fullStr The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
title_full_unstemmed The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
title_short The taxonomic identity of Central and Northern European Simulium (Nevermannia) (Diptera, Simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
title_sort taxonomic identity of central and northern european simulium (nevermannia) (diptera, simuliidae): molecular, morphological, and ecological data
topic_facet black flies
Ukraine
mitochondrial DNA
cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI)
taxonomy
genetic distance
phenotypic plasticity
url https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/913
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