The seasonal abundance and species composition of ceratopogonids (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in East Baton Rouge parish was described from light trap collections at 15 sites. A total of 4,968 collections were processed, and 48,667 ceratopogonids were collected from 20 November, 2002 through 25 November, 2004. Three genera of ceratopogonids (<i>Forcipomyia</i> Meigen, <i>Atrichopogon</i> Kieffer, and <i>Culicoides</i> Latrielle) and a total of 18 species of the genus <i>Culicoides</i> were identified. Ceratopogonids had distinctive spring and fall population peaks. Ceratopogonids were collected in every month during the study, with the exception of February 2004. These results suggest that certain species of <i>Culicoides</i> may overwinter as adults in Louisiana, which could provide an important maintenance mechanism for arboviruses. New information on the other four species of biting midges was obtained. This study represents the first report of <i>Culicoides edeni</i> Wirth and Blanton in Louisiana and the first description of the seasonal abundance of <i>Culicoides neopulicaris</i> Wirth in Louisiana. The data also showed that <i>Culicoides debilipalpis</i> Lutz and <i>Culicoides stellifer</i> Coquillett have longer seasonal activity periods than previously reported for Louisiana. Pools of specimens of ceratopogonids collected from the 15 sites in East Baton Rouge parish in 2004 were prepared for West Nile virus (WNV) detection assays. Eighty-nine pools with specimens of <i>Culicoides</i>, four pools with specimens of <i>Atrichopogon</i>, and two pools with specimens of <i>Forcipomyia</i> were processed. One pool containing specimens of <i>Culicoides arboricola</i> Root and Hoffman, two pools containing specimens of <i>Culicoides biguttatus</i> Coquillett, and two pools containing specimens of <i>C. stellifer</i> tested positive for WNV RNA. This is the second study in which WNV has been detected in field collected ceratopogonids in the United States. The estimated numbers of plaque-forming units (PFU) found in the pools of specimens of Culicoides were within the range of PFU found in known mosquito vectors of WNV. Based on host availability specimens of <i>C. stellifer</i>, <i>C. biguttatus</i>, and <i>C. arboricola</i> feed on both birds and/or mammals, suggesting that these species could play an important role in transmitting WNV from birds to mammals. These results indicate that the importance of biting midges as vectors of WNV should be investigated in future studies.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-11032005-144604 |
| Date | 07 November 2005 |
| Creators | Sabio, Isidra Joselina |
| Contributors | Lane D. Foil, Michael Stout, Timothy Schowalter |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-11032005-144604/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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