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Entomological survey of insects of the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in 2016 in Croatia

Insects of the genus Culicoides belong to the most numerous haematophagous insects in the world. Nearly 1400 different species of Culicoides have been described worldwide. Insects of the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are biological vectors of bluetongue virus, transmitting it by sucking blood from the infected ruminant host. An entomological survey of insects of the genus Culicoides as bluetongue virus biological vectors was conducted in 2016 in order to determine the Culicoides fauna in Croatia. The Culicoides identified morphologically were compared with the selected species COX1 gene sequences obtained. A total of 76977 Culicoides specimens were collected and morphologically identified ; 200 specimens were identified by molecular methods. The presence was demonstrated of 21 Culicoides known species and 11 new species showing 84% to 94% similarity to the sequences available in the NCBI GeneBase. The C. obsoletus and C. scoticus, and 1 Culicoides showing 94% similarity to C. obsoletus were identified by the C. obsoletus group vector sequencing. The C. pulicaris group vector sequencing identified the C. pulicaris, C. punctatus, C. lupicaris and C. newsteadi, and 1 specimen showing 94% similarity to C. newsteadi. Sequencing of other Culicoides species identified the following species: C. nubeculosus, C. riethi, C. puncticollis, C. fagineus, C. flavipulicaris, C. circumscriptus, C. fascipennis, C. achrayi, C. parroti, C. salinarius, C. griseidorsum, C. simulator, C. picturatus, C. festivipennis, C. alazanicus, 1 Culicoides with 94% similarity to C. paradoxalis, 1 Culicoides with 85% similarity to C. oxystoma, 1 Culicoides with 85% similarity to C. circumscriptus, C. salinarius and C. manchuriensis species, 2 Culicoides with 86% similarity to Culicoides sp., and 4 new Culicoides spp. Data on the Culicoides species present in Croatia, obtained by morphological and molecular identification, are now available in Croatia for the first time. This entomological survey revealed predominance of the vectors of C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris groups as a major risk factor for the spread of bluetongue virus, which is important for the epidemiology of bluetongue as an infectious disease. Finding of various Culicoides species is highly relevant for the knowledge of fauna and biodiversity of Culicoides insects in Croatia.

Culicoides, entomological survey

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