Afrotropical Culicoides : description and comparison of the pupae of seven species of the Similis supergroup (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The pupae of Culicoides exspectator Clastrier, C. kobae Cornet & Chateau, C. micheli Cornet & Chateau, C. olyslageri Kremer & Nevill, C. ravus De Meillon and C. (Synhelea) tropicalis Kieffer are described and illustrated for the first time, and the pupa of C. similis Carter, Ingram & Macfie is redescribed. All seven species belong to the Similis supergroup; the immature stages of six are found in ground waters while those of C. olyslageri occur in tree holes. A concise key is presented for differentiating the seven species. Short notes on their larval habitats are given. Reference is made to C. accraensis Carter, Ingram & Macfie, also found in tree holes. Available data suggest that pupal morphology can be used to differentiate closely related species; group characters also exist for those species within the Similis supergroup which can be used to separate ground-water species from those utilizing tree holes. Indications are that the pupae are of limited help in resolving the systematic subdivision of the Similis supergroup.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Afrotropical Culicoides : Synhelea Kieffer, 1925, resurrected as subgenus to embrace 10 species (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae)

Synhelea Kieffer, 1925, is resurrected from synonymy to embrace 10 species of Afrotropical Culicoides. C. tropicalis Kieffer, 1913, is the subgenotype. C. vagus is made a synonym of C. dutoiti while apomorphies common to the remaining species camicasi, congolensis, dispar, moucheti, pellucidus, perettii, tauffliebi and vicinus are discussed. The broad similis group of Cornet & Chateau (1971), under which these 10 species of Synhelea were originally assembled, is not only maintained but expanded by a further 11 species. Various distributional and descriptive data pertinent to Synhelea throughout the Afrotropical region are tabulated, and keys to adult males and females presented. C. perettii and C. moucheti are new records for South Africa. C. dutoiti, C. perettii and C. tropicalis are recorded for the 1st time from Malawi while C. dutoiti and C. tropicalis are newly recorded from Botswana and Namibia respectively. Where available, notes on larval habitats are given. Synhelea is considered endemic to the Afrotropical region and is briefly differentiated from the 25 subgenera currently recognized worldwide. Numerous illustrations accompany the diagnosis.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.lmchunu2014mn201

An early record of Culicoides species (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae) developing in the dung of game animals in southern Africa

The value of the dung of game animals as a larval habitat for Culicoides species was briefly investigated in 1973/4 in the Kruger National Park, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa. A total of 4 species in the subgenus Avaritia was reared, 3 from elephant dung, 2 from zebra dung and I from the dung of buffalo. These early studies have recently led to more intensive rearing and a better understanding of the systematics of this subgenus in the Afrotropical region.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.lmchunu2014mn201

CULICOIDES GLADYSAE SP. N. (DIPTERA: CERATOPOGONIDAE) FROM EASTERN AUSTRALIA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF ITS LARVA AND PUPA AND A RE‐EXAMINATION OF C. MYKYTOWYCZI LEE AND REYE AND C. MOREENSIS LEE AND REYE

The larva, pupa, male and female of Culicoides gladysae sp. n. are described from a series reared from larvae collected from leaf mould in a tree crotch at Mt Glorious, south‐east Queensland. Another series of all stages was collected from a tree cavity holding free water at McCarr's Creek, New South Wales. Detailed comparisons are made between C. gladysae, C. moreensis Lee and Reye and C. mykytowyczi Lee and Reye, and between the two series of C. gladysae. Allometric growth occurs in the palp and head/proboscis, but not in either the antenna or tarsus of C. gladysae

Ecologie et distribution des espèces de Culicoides Latreille 1809 (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae) à proximité d’une exploitation bovine en Belgique

peer reviewedBluetongue is a non-contagious disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants. Since its spreading to Northern Europe in 2006, this viral epizooty caused considerable economical losses on the ovine and bovine livestock. The biological vectors of the bluetongue virus (BTV) are biting midges belonging to the genus Culicoides. Many elements still remain unknown about their biology, physiology, ecology and distribution. This study shows that these biting midges are much more abundant on farm level than in the nearby meadows; these last ones nevertheless present a much more specifi c diversity. So possibility of migration between the meadow and the farm is voiced for the C. chiopterus and C. dewulfi species. Females are much more represented than males for the farm and the meadow alike. The physiology observation of these ones is realized throughout the study

Spectral sensitivity in the eyes of male and female Lutzomyia longipalpis sandflies

Using electroretinogram recordings, the response of Lutzomyia longipalpis sandfly eyes to a range of wavelengths of light was measured, and spectral sensitivity determined. The eyes of both male and female adult sandflies were found to respond maximally to light in the ultraviolet region (at 340 nm) with a secondary peak in the blue-green-yellow region at 520 nm for females and 546 nm for males. The Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant differences between males and females at corresponding wavelengths

Venous angioarchitecture of the bovine female genital organ Angioarquitetura venosa do órgão genital da fêmea bovina

The venous angioarchitecture of the non-pregnant female genital organs from five cattle obtained from a slaughterhouse was studied for possible anastomoses of the vulva and vagina vasa and the uterus-ovary vein, with the aid of the X-ray technique. In the laboratory, a branch of the caudal vaginal vein was injected with radiographic contrast. Vaginal vein formed and anastomotic network in the ventral surface of the uterus between the right and left sides. The genitals present anastomoses of the vulvar and vaginal veins with vasa of cervix, body and uterine horns and suggest that a portion of luteolytic agents injected through intravulvosubmucosal route can be transported directly to the ovary through a local route before reaching the systemic circulation.<br>Investigou-se a angioarquitetura venosa da genitália de fêmeas bovinas não prenhes, para avaliar a presença de possíveis anastomoses dos vasos provenientes da região da vulva e da vagina com a veia útero-ovariana, usando-se cinco peças obtidas em abatedouros. No laboratório, um ramo da veia vaginal caudal, infundido com contraste radiográfico intravascular, foi submetido à radiografia. Observou-se que a veia vaginal forma intensa rede de anastomoses na superfície ventral do útero, entre os antímeros direito e esquerdo. As genitálias apresentaram anastomoses dos vasos vulvares e vaginais com vasos da cérvice, corpo e cornos uterinos, sugerindo que parte de um agente luteolítico administrado via intravulvosubmucosa pode ser transportado diretamente aos ovários por uma rota local, sem atingir a circulação sistêmica

Revisão anatômica do seio venoso sagital dorsal no crânio de cães braquicéfalos Anatomic features of the dorsal venous sinus in skull of brachycephalous dogs

Os seios venosos do crânio realizam a drenagem do cérebro e da medula espinhal, a fim de manter a homeostasia e o perfeito funcionamento do sistema nervoso central. Lesões na rede venosa cerebral podem causar déficits severos tais como hemiplegia, hemorragia, coma e morte. Os seios venosos são importantes pontos de referência para a realização de técnicas cirúrgicas de acesso ao cérebro. Este estudo visou analisar o trajeto do seio venoso sagital dorsal no crânio de cães braquicéfalos. Os animais braquicéfalos possuem crânios curtos e com características biométricas específicas. Foram utilizados 8 crânios de cães da raça Boxer, que foram submetidos à injeção de látex com pigmento corado e sulfato de bário. Após a perfusão, foram feitas radiografias contrastadas e imagens de tomografia computadorizada para relacionar o seio venoso com a estrutura óssea e dimensões relativas da calota craniana. Os crânios apresentaram índice cefálico (IC) médio de 91,24&plusmn;8,34mm e índice crânio-facial (ICF) médio de 2,89&plusmn;0,23mm. As mensurações do seio venoso sagital dorsal, relativas à calota craniana, apresentaram os seguintes valores médios: Área = 10,18&plusmn;4,69mm²; D1 = 11,84&plusmn;2,35mm; D2 = 19,57&plusmn;2,61mm; D3 = 17,88&plusmn;2,31mm; D4 = 25,32&plusmn;5,68mm; e D5= 24,84&plusmn;4,40mm.<br>The dorsal venous sinuses of the Dura mater perform the cerebral and spinal cord drainage to keep homeostasis of the Central Nervous System. Injuries in the cerebral venous network may cause severe deficits, including hemiplegia, hemorrhage, coma and death. The main landmark for neurologic surgery is the Dura mater venous sinus. The aim of this study is to analyse the pathway of the Sinus sagittalis dorsalis in the brachycephalous skull, as the brachycephalous dogs have specific characteristics. The skulls were taken from 8 Boxer dogs and venous perfusion with latex and barium sulfate solution was performed. After the perfusion, radiographies and tomographies were obtained to relate the dorsal sagittal sinus and the skull averages. The cephalic index showed mean values of 91.24&plusmn;8.34cm, and the cranio-facial index was 2.89&plusmn;0.23cm. The venous sinus mensuration interface to the skull was: Área = 10.18&plusmn;4.69mm²; D1 = 11.84&plusmn;2.35mm; D2 = 19.57&plusmn;2.61mm; D3 = 17.88&plusmn;2.31mm; D4 = 25.32&plusmn;5.68mm e D5 = 24.84&plusmn;4.40mm