Association between host species choice and morphological characters of main sensory structures of Culicoides in the Palaeartic region

Abstract

Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) serve as vectors of several mammalian and avian diseases, including bluetongue, Schmallenberg, African horse sickness, avian malaria and Oropouche. Host preference investigations are necessary to assess the transmission routes of vector-borne diseases and to inform mitigation strategies. A recent study examining the main sensory structures (palps and antennae) of Culicoides species suggests that they be classified as ornithophilic or mammalophilic according to their feeding habits. We analyzed Culicoides host preferences according to the literature and carried out a multiple correspondence analysis linking these preferences with morphological data. Seven out of 12 variables were found to be reliable predictors of host preference in Culicoides species: Antenna Flagellomer-Sensilla Coeloconica-Number: (7–10) and (11–13); Antenna Flagellomer-Sensilla Coeloconica IV–X: presence; Palpus-size: wide and/or narrow opening and shallow pit; Palpus-Shape: strongly swollen; Antenna-Short sensilla trichodea-distal part segment IV to X-Number: 2 seta each. Our results demonstrate that the presence of sensilla coeloconica and the maxillary palpus can be used to separate ornithophilic and mammalophilic or ornithophilic/mammalophilic species.

Blood-meal analysis of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) reveals a broad host range and new species records for Romania

“…Interestingly, the unknown Culicoides species showed a similar host-feeding pattern as C. kibunensis, with which it formed a monophyletic clade in the phylogenetic tree. These observations support the hypothesis of a positive correlation between biting midge phylogenetic relatedness and their feeding behaviour [40,77]. In contrast, other studies speculated that such similarities in host-feeding patterns are not necessarily driven by phylogenetic relatedness, but might be the result of other factors (e.g.…”

“…Information on the host-feeding patterns can be also used to estimate dispersal distances of Culicoides spp. [77]. Biting midges from the sampling site Dunărea Veche were engorged with blood from buffalo and goat.…”

Influence of light and kairomone baiting systems on trap collections of biting midges in southern Sweden

“…Culicoides pictipennis has been considered as ornithophilic (Pettersson et al 2013), in which case blood‐feeding females would not be expected to be attracted to mammalian kairomones such as 1‐octen‐3‐ol. However, blood meal analysis indicates that C. pictipennis will feed on a range of hosts, including birds, ruminants, and people (Augot et al 2017). Exploring attraction to semiochemicals emanated by different species would assist in elucidating the host preferences of C. pictipennis and facilitate development of a more effective monitoring tool.…”

“…The numbers of C. punctatus , C. festivipennis , C. deltus, and C. segnis captured were too small to warrant formal comparisons among bait types. Culicoides punctatus has been recovered previously from UV light trap surveys of Swedish farms (Nielsen et al 2010) and appears to feed on a wide range of mammalian and avian hosts (Augot et al 2017). In the current study, no C. punctatu s were captured in the CO 2 ‐only baited traps, suggesting that other kairomones are important in mediating attraction of this species to hosts.…”

“…Culicoides segnis has also been reported in low numbers on Swedish farms (Nielsen et al 2010) and has been aspirated directly from cows and sheep in the Netherlands (Elbers and Meiswinkel, 2015), but only two individuals were caught here. Culicoides festivipennis has been suggested to be ornithophilic or a generalist feeder (Pettersson et al 2013, Bobeva et al 2015, Augot et al 2017); blood meal analysis from captures in Sweden indicate a feeding preference for birds (Pettersson et al 2013), and trapping studies in Italy captured C. festivipennis in higher numbers near ponds visited by aquatic birds than in proximity to sheep (Foxi and Delrio 2010). Here, individuals of this species were only caught in UV‐baited traps.…”