A survey of biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in NE Bulgaria, with respect to transmission of avian haemosporidians

Abstract

This study presents data from a molecular survey of the species of the genus Culicoides from the region of Kalimok Field Station (NE Bulgaria) and haemosporidian parasites occurring in them in order to investigate the host-parasite specificity of haemosporidians to their dipteran vectors. The identification of Culicoides spp. was carried out by morphological and molecular-genetic methods. We collected and analysed 230 individuals of the genus Culicoides. Nine species were found. Eight species were identified morphologically; Culicoides obsoletus, C. riethi, C. newsteadi, C. circumscriptus, C. festivipennis, C. punctatus, C. pictipennis and C. puncticollis. The ninth species might be classified as either of C. nubeculosus or C. riethi and its identification needs additional investigations. The total prevalence of Haemoproteus in the examined biting midges was 2.17%. Three individuals of C. pictipennis were infected with the Haemoproteus lineage TURDUS2 (prevalence 16.67%), a common parasite of thrushes (Turdidae). Two individuals of C. circumscriptus contained Haemoproteus lineages (prevalence 2.78%); these were the lineage HAWF2 (previously reported from Coccothraustes coccothraustes) and a new lineage CULCIR1 not previously reported in the literature.

Degree of associations among vectors of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and host bird species with respect to haemosporidian parasites in NE Bulgaria

“…C. circumscriptus and C. festivipennis harboured one and two Haemoproteus lineages, respectively. The lineage H_CIRCUM03 differed with one nucleotide base from previously reported H_CULCIR01 recorded in the studied area (Bobeva et al 2013). …”

“…Moreover, recent studies have revealed that C. alazanicus, together with C. circumscriptus and C. festivipennis, demonstrate ornithophilic feeding preferences (Lassen et al 2012;Pettersson et al 2012;Bobeva et al 2014). In addition, haemosporidian parasites have been previously detected in the latter two species (Ferraguti et al 2013;Synek et al 2013;Bobeva et al 2013). The degree of associations between haemoproteids, bird hosts and vector species in the studied area suggests C. alazanicus, C. circumscriptus and C. festivipennis as potential vectors of avian haemosporidians in SE Europe.…”

“…exhibit various degrees of specificity regarding their blood-sucking vectors. One parasite lineage has been found in more than one species of Culicoides, and vice versa, several lineages have been recorded in a single biting midge species (Martínez-de la Puente et al 2011;SantiagoAlarcon et al 2012aSantiagoAlarcon et al , 2012bSantiagoAlarcon et al , 2013Synek et al 2013;Bobeva et al 2013;Ferraguti et al 2013). All these results, however, are based on molecular analysis and cannot distinguish between different stages of parasite development.…”

“…Recent studies focused on the parasite-vector associations demonstrate variations in the specificity of haemoproteids to their potential vectors: several parasite lineages were isolated from a single vector species and one parasite lineage occurred in several Culicoides host species (Santiago-Alarcon et al 2012aMartínez-de la Puente et al 2011, Synek et al 2013Bobeva et al 2013;Ferraguti et al 2013). E.g., the lineage TURDUS2 was detected in C. pictipennis, Culicoides kibunensis and C. festivipennis (see Synek et al 2013;Bobeva et al 2013) and C. circumscriptus harboured HAWF2, GAGLA03, CULCIR01 and CIRCUM 01-05 (Ferraguti et al 2013;Bobeva et al 2013). The present observations correspond to the previous results.…”

Host preferences of ornithophilic biting midges of the genus Culicoides in the Eastern Balkans

“…Most previous studies on avian haemosporidians have focused on their interactions with bird hosts, especially with respect to species diversity, prevalence and local transmission in different geographical regions (Waldenström et al ., ; Dimitrov et al ., ). Few recent studies report potential associations between Haemoproteus species and vectors of the genus Culicoides (Martinez‐de la Puente et al ., ; Santiago‐Alarcon et al ., , ; Bobeva et al ., , Synek et al ., ). However, the roles of species of Culicoides in the transmission of certain haemoproteids, and in the geographic distribution of these parasites, remain poorly known.…”