Genus Simulium Latreille

Simulium is the largest genus of the family Simuliidae including 1,919 species (82.2%) of the total 2,335 living species (Adler and Crosskey, 2018) and is widely distributed throughout the world where running fresh waters are available. It is the only genus known in the Oriental Region. The adults are characterized by having a distinct calcipala and pedisulcus coupled with spinules and hairs on the costal vein. The genus Simulium is divided into 37 subgenera, of which 10 subgenera are known in the Oriental Region ( Asiosimulium Takaoka & Choochote, Byssodon Enderlein, Daviesellum, Eusimulium Roubaud, Gomphostilbia Enderlein, Montisimulium Rubtsov, Nevermannia Enderlein, Simulium Latreille, Wallacellum Takaoka and Wilhelmia Enderlein). However, only four subgenera ( Daviesellum, Gomphostilbia, Nevermannia and Simulium) are recorded from Peninsular Malaysia.