Altogether 52 078 Culicoides biting midges of 35 species were collected during February 1990 and 1993 in 40 light-trap collections made on 17 cattle and/or sheep farms in the Bethlehem and Fouriesburg districts of the colder, high-lying eastern Orange Free State. Culicoides (Avaritia) bolitinos was by far the most abundant species, representing 50.9% of all specimens collected. Culicoides (A.) ...

The biology, veterinary importance and control of certain Nematocera are described and discussed. Culicoides spp. (family Ceratopogonidae) transmit the arboviruses of bluetongue (BT), African horse sickness (AHS), bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) and Akabane. Some other arboviruses have been isolated from these species, while fowl pox has been transmitted experimentally by Culicoides. These insects...

A nationwide study was conducted in Saudi Arabia to determine if bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) was present in cattle between 1993 and 1995. The study had two components: the first was establishment of sentinel herds of cattle in some localities, the second was to conduct a nationwide serological survey. The results indicated that Saudi Arabia was free of BEF during the period of study and that t...

Branchiopod crustaceans are represented by fairy, tadpole, and clam shrimps (Anostraca, Notostraca, Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata), which typically inhabit temporary freshwater bodies, and water fleas (Cladoceromorpha), which live in all kinds of freshwater and occasionally marine environments [1, 2]. The earliest branchiopods occur in the Cambrian, where they are represented by complete body foss...

Extensive ephemeral wetlands at Poyang Lake, created by dramatic seasonal changes in water level, constitute the main wintering site for migratory Anatidae in China. Reductions in wetland area during the last 15 years have led to proposals to build a Poyang Dam to retain high winter water levels within the lake. Changing the natural hydrological system will affect waterbirds dependent on water ...

BACKGROUND In Japan, epizootic arboviral infections have severely impacted the livestock industry for a long period. Akabane, Aino, Chuzan, bovine ephemeral fever and Ibaraki viruses have repeatedly caused epizootic abnormal births and febrile illness in the cattle population. In addition, Peaton, Sathuperi, Shamonda and D'Aguilar viruses and epizootic hemorrhagic virus serotype 7 have recently...