''Simulium yahense'' is a species of black flies found in

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

rain forest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...

s. Their larval stages are found in "smaller, more shaded, cooler breeding waters." One particular group, now eradicated, was found only on the island of

Bioko Bioko (; ; ; historically known as Fernando Pó, ) is an island of Equatorial Guinea. It is located south of the coast of Cameroon, and northwest of the northernmost part of mainland Equatorial Guinea. Malabo, on the north coast of the is ...

, and was an extremely effective vector for the parasitic worm ''

Onchocerca Onchocerca is a genus of parasitic roundworm. It contains one human parasite – '' Onchocerca volvulus'' – which is responsible for the neglected disease Onchocerciasis, also known as "river blindness" because the infected humans tend to l ...

volvulus'' that causes

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 ...

, or "river blindness".

References

yahense Insect vectors of human pathogens {{Chironomoidea-stub