| Abstrakt: |
Some species of CulicoidesLatreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) can be pests as well as pathogen vectors, but data on their distribution in Ontario, Canada, are sparse. Collecting this baseline data is important given ongoing, accelerated alterations in global climate patterns that may favor the establishment of some species in northern latitudes. Culicoidesspp. were surveyed using UV light traps over two seasons in 2017 and 2018 at livestock farms in southern Ontario, Canada. Two Culicoidesspp. not previously recorded in Canada were identified, C. bergiand C. baueri, representing new country and provincial records. Unlike some congenerics, these two species are not currently recognized as vectors of pathogens that pose a health risk to humans, livestock or wildlife in North America. However, the possibility that these Culicoidesspecies may have recently expanded their geographic range, potentially in association with climate and/or landscape changes, warrants ongoing attention and research. Furthermore, our results provoke the question of the potential undocumented diversity of Culicoidesspp. in Ontario and other parts of Canada, and whether other Culicoidesspp. may be undergoing range expansion. The current and future distributions of Culicoidesspp., and other potential vectors of human, agricultural, and wildlife health significance, are important to identify for proper disease risk assessment, mitigation, and management. |
