Temporospatial distribution of Culicoides species and Culicoides imicola in northern Jordan

The aim of this study was to estimate geographical distribution of Culicoides species and Culicoides imicola in northern governorates of Jordan. The study was conducted by placing light traps in four climatically different geographical locations during 2011. Suitability maps were created by layering and compiling climatic parameters into the GIS data to highlight locations and time suitable for growth of C. imicola. Collected insect samples were assorted by morphology to identify Culicoides species. Molecular analysis was used to identify Culicoides spp. and C. imicola. In total, 25,196 insects were trapped of which 3491 (12.7%) were morphologically identified as Culicoides spp. The highest counts Culicoides spp. were recorded in Deir Alla (47%), Banikenaneh (31%) and Al-Shouneh (21%) respectively. The peak activity was recorded during August through October. Morphological identification failed to identify Culicoides species in 4 locations while polymerase chain reaction analysis identified Culicoides spp. in all locations except Al-mafraq. C. imicola could only be identified in Deir Alla, Bani-kenaneh and Al-Shouneh. There was no evidence of viral genome of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, blue tongue virus and bovine ephemeral fever virus in the trapped midges.