title: A study of Culicoides in Rondônia, in the Brazilian Amazon: species composition, relative abundance and potential vectors.
abstract: There is very little information available about Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the western Brazilian Amazon. However, studies of the fauna of this region are essential to knowledge of the species and potential vectors within it. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the abundance, richness and composition of Culicoides species in rural areas in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. Culicoides specimens were collected in forest and pasture environments in the municipality of Porto Velho, using light traps. A total of 1708 individuals (1136 females and 572 males) belonging to 33 species were collected; 28 of these samples represent new records for the state of Rondônia and include the first record of Culicoides contubernalis in Brazil. Culicoides insignis was the most abundant species (86.1%). Species richness was greater in forest areas (32 species, 96.96%), whereas pastures presented the greatest number of Culicoides captured (n = 1540, 90.1%). This study shows that Culicoides populations differ between forest and pasture environments and indicates that the abundance of C. insignis is an important factor in epidemiological vigilance studies in the region.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.|Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis da Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
authors.forename: L P C
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pereira Júnior
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis da Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Condições de Vida e Situação de Saúde na Amazônia (PPGVIDA), Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioecologia de insetos, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Resadore
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis da Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
authors.forename: F A C
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Pessoa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Medeiros
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D065928:Forests; D065948:Grassland; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011156:Population Density
keywords: Brazil; Culicoides; diversity