[5] In this work, the authors found that the subgenera Monoculicoides, Culicoides, Haematomyidium, Hoffmania, Remmia and Avaritia (including the main vectors of bluetongue virus disease) were monophyletic, whereas the subgenus Oecacta was paraphyletic.

The authors concluded that the current Culicoides classification needed to be revisited with modern tools.

[5] Species incertae sedis include: Adults are small dark insects about 1–3 mm long.

Midges are morphologically distinct from mosquitoes, lacking a proboscis, limiting their ability to bite through clothing.

[2] Females typically bite at dusk or dawn often in dense swarms and usually in the vicinity of water, marshes or rotting vegetation.

[6] The bite of Culicoides is felt as a sharp prick and is often followed by irritating lumps that may disappear in a few hours or last for days.

[7] A typical cycle of transmission of a virus by Culicoides is illustrated in the article Parasitic flies of domestic animals.