Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Fauna in Central Tunisia

For a better understanding of the Culicoides spp biodiversity of the Center of Tunisia, an entomological survey was carried out between 2009 and 2012 in four districts. A total of 9275 biting midges were collected from different sites in the Center of Tunisia using CDC and OVI light traps as well as emergence in the laboratory from mud sampling. Twenty two species were identified of which two were newly recorded for the Tunisian fauna. The most abundant Culicoides spp occurring on the Center of Tunisia were Culicoides imicola (6.9%) captured by light traps and Culicoides circumscriptus (70.93%) from mud. Other less abundant species were also identified including Culicoides paolae (15.04%); Culicoides sahariensis (12.45%); Culicoides jumineri (9.72%); Culicoides cataneii (66.07%); Culicoides puncticollis (5.34%); Culicoides newsteadi (3%); Culicoides kingi (1.36%); C. circumscriptus (0.71%); Culicoides spp near kibunensis (0.58%); Culicoides. pseudojumineri (0.31%); Culicoides heteroclitus (0.10%); Culicoides pseudopallidus (0.03%); Culicoides saevus (0.15%); Culicoides submaritimus (0.05%); Culicoides langeroni (0.05%); Culicoides punctatus (0.05%); Culicoides pseudolangeroni and C. jumineri var (0.03%). Culicoides kurensis and C. puncticollis (0.01%). During this study two species of Culicoides were reported for the first time: Culicoides sergenti (3.1%) (Region of Kairouan) and Culicoides semimaculatus (0.04%) (Region of Sidi Bouzid). An updated checklist is provided for the 35 species of Culicoides now known to occur on Tunisia. This study has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of the epidemiology of Bluetongue (BT) in Tunisia in recent years.