A video clip of the biting midge Culicoides anophelis ingesting blood from an engorged Anopheles mosquito in Hainan, China

Ma, Yajun; Xu, Jianchu; Zhen-zhou, Yang; Wang, Xiaohua; Lin, Zhongling; Zhao, Wei; Wang, Yan; Li, Xiangyu; Shi, Hua

doi:10.1186/1756-3305-6-326

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In the case here all structures are rotated of this axis by at least 45 degrees distally, i.e., towards the host. This is not unusual in parasites and especially not in sucking mouthparts ( Merrit et al , 1996 ; Ma et al , 2013 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Functional morphology of parasitic isopods: understanding morphological adaptations of attachment and feeding structures inNerocilaas a pre-requisite for reconstructing the evolution of Cymothoidae

Nagler

Haug

2016

PeerJ

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Parasites significantly influence food webs and ecosystems and occur all over the world in almost every animal group. Within crustaceans there are numerous examples of ectoparasites; for example, representatives of the isopod group Cymothoidae. These obligatory parasitic isopods are relatively poorly studied regarding their functional morphology. Here we present new details of the morphological adaptations to parasitism of the cymothoiid ingroup Nerocila with up-to-date imaging methods (macro photography, stereo imaging, fluorescence photography, micro CT, and histology). Central aspects of the study were (1) the morphology of the mouthparts and (2) the attachment on the host, hence the morphology of the thoracopods. The mouthparts (labrum, mandibles, paragnaths, maxillulae, maxillae, maxillipeds) form a distinct mouth cone and are most likely used for true sucking. The mouthparts are tightly “folded” around each other and provide functional rails for the only two moving mouthparts, mandible and maxillula. Both are not moving in an ancestral-type median-lateral movement, but are strongly tilted to move more in a proximal-distal axis. New details concerning the attachment demonstrate that the angular arrangement of the thoracopods is differentiated to impede removal by the host. The increased understanding of morphological adaptation to parasitism of modern forms will be useful in identifying disarticulated (not attached to the host) fossil parasites.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Functional morphology of parasitic isopods: understanding morphological adaptations of attachment and feeding structures inNerocilaas a pre-requisite for reconstructing the evolution of Cymothoidae

Nagler

Haug

2016

PeerJ

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“…Thus, the hypothesis that Culicoides midges may react similarly when in need of protein cannot be discarded. In a recent study Ma et al 2013 [ 56 ] produced a video of two anopheline mosquitoes that were attacked by Culicoides anopheles and demonstrated the act of a midge taking blood from an engorged mosquito.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood Meal Analysis of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Central Tunisia

et al. 2015

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To evaluate the host preferences of Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Central Tunisia, we identified the source of blood meals of field collected specimens by sequencing of the cytochrome b (cyt b) mitochondrial locus and Prepronociceptine single copy nuclear gene. The study includes the most common and abundant livestock associated species of biting midges in Tunisia: C. imicola, C. jumineri, C. newsteadi, C. paolae, C. cataneii, C. circumscriptus, C. kingi, C. pseudojumineri, C. submaritimus, C. langeroni, C. jumineri var and some unidentified C. species. Analysis of cyt b PCR products from 182 field collected blood-engorged females’ midges revealed that 92% of them fed solely on mammalian species, 1.6% on birds, 2.4% on insects and 0.8% on reptiles. The blast results identified the blood origin of biting midges to the species level with exact or nearly exact matches (≥98%). The results confirm the presence of several Culicoides species, including proven vectors in Central Tunisia. Blood meal analyses show that these species will indeed feed on bigger mammals, thereby highlighting the risk that these viruses will be able to spread in Tunisia.

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“…Moreover, these biting midges are able to take blood from engorged mosquitoes, and this indirect acquisition of vertebrate blood could also play a role in pathogen transmission cycles (Kremer et al, 1974;Ma et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orientation behaviour of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a relevant virus vector in northern Europe, toward host-associated odorant cues

Zimmer

Verheggen

Haubruge

et al. 2015

Veterinary Parasitology

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a b s t r a c tSome Culicoides biting midge species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are biological virus vectors worldwide and have recently been associated with outbreaks of important epizootic diseases such as bluetongue and Schmallenberg in northern Europe. These diseases, which affect domestic and wild ruminants, have caused considerable economic losses. Knowledge of host preferences of these biting midges -especially of the relevant vectors of arboviruses near farms, such as Culicoides obsoletus in northern Europe -is essential to understand pathogen transmission cycles and the epidemiology of associated diseases. This study aimed to determine host preferences of C. obsoletus using an in-field flight tunnel containing pairs of calf, sheep, chicken, and human hosts (and controls) and a laboratory two-choice bioassay containing volatile extracts of host skin (and controls). Behavioural responses of nulliparous C. obsoletus females in the in-field flight tunnel showed a preference for human (but also calf and sheep) hosts, probably due to their exhalation of greater quantities of carbon dioxide. The laboratory experiment revealed that volatile organic compounds released from the skin of chicken and sheep seemed to attract this species. Culicoides obsoletus, thus, seems to have a wide host range and to be particularly attracted by humans under field conditions. A better understanding of vector-host interaction could enable the development of control strategies against adult biting midges, by exploiting insect-repelling or -attractive semiochemicals. Volatile extracts of chicken and/or sheep skin could be used to identify volatile compounds attractive to C. obsoletus, which in turn could be used in baited traps.

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A video clip of the biting midge Culicoides anophelis ingesting blood from an engorged Anopheles mosquito in Hainan, China

Cited by 18 publications

References 13 publications

Functional morphology of parasitic isopods: understanding morphological adaptations of attachment and feeding structures inNerocilaas a pre-requisite for reconstructing the evolution of Cymothoidae

Functional morphology of parasitic isopods: understanding morphological adaptations of attachment and feeding structures inNerocilaas a pre-requisite for reconstructing the evolution of Cymothoidae

Blood Meal Analysis of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Central Tunisia

Orientation behaviour of Culicoides obsoletus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a relevant virus vector in northern Europe, toward host-associated odorant cues

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