Uğur Uslu

Vertical distribution of Culicoides larvae and pupae

Abstract This study was carried out in the northeast region of Konya in Turkey, between April and December 2004, to determine the vertical distribution of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) larvae and pupae. Larvae and pupae were collected using the saturated sugar flotation technique in mud samples taken from a range of depths of up to 20 cm. In total, 282 adult Culicoides were obtained. The number of larvae and pupae decreased as the depth increased; at 2.5 cm, 97 Culicoides larvae and 73 Culicoides pupae were found. Larvae and pupae of C. nubeculosus (Meigen) and C. puncticollis (Becker) were mostly found in organic matter‐rich breeding sites, while larvae and pupae of C. gejgelensis Dzhafarov and C. festivipennis Kieffer were mostly found in organic matter‐poor breeding sites. Culicoides larvae and pupae were obtained largely in July and August.

Chemical characteristics of breeding sites of Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

We determined chemical characteristics of the breeding sites of Culicoides species in Turkey. Soil samples containing pupae and larvae of Culicoides species were collected between January and December 2004 and fly emergence was recorded in the laboratory. Percent organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity and mineral constituents of habitat samples were quantified to determine habitat preferences of the emerging species. A total of 1623 mature Culicoides flies comprising 10 species emerged from soil samples collected from 8 different habitat types. A total of 856 (53%) flies were recovered from habitats containing mud rich in dung near water reservoirs, 288 (18%) from mud in reed sites, 279 (17%) from mud in swamps, 78 (5%) from mud along side the streams, 39 (2.4%) from mud around dams, 38 (2.3%) from mud near dripping water, 30 (2%) from mud in rain puddles and 15 (1.0%) from moist soil. While C. nubeculosus (Meigen) and C. puncticollis (Becker) were encountered more in mud rich in dung near water reservoirs and mud in swamps; C. gejgelensis Dzhafarov and C. festivipennis Kieffer were more common in mud alongside streams. C. circumscriptus Kieffer was encountered in most habitats and no Culicoides flies emerged from livestock dung samples and tree holes. The number of C. festivipennis Kieffer was significantly correlated with organic matter, P, K and Zn while the number of C. nubeculosus (Meigen) was significantly correlated with pH, P and K.

Prevalence and intensity of Oestrus ovis in Akkaraman sheep in the Konya region of Turkey

Abstract Slaughterhouse surveys to determine the prevalence and intensity of larval Oestrus ovis Linnaeus (Diptera: Oestridae) in sheep, were conducted monthly for 1 year in Konya, Turkey. A total of 624 sheep, selected at random, were examined and 59% were found to be infested by O. ovis. A total of 8801 larvae were collected, of which 68.9% were first‐stage, 19.1% second‐stage and 12% third‐stage larvae. All three larval stadia were seen in each month of the year. The larval intensity for infected sheep was 23.9, with 16.48 L1, 4.55 L2 and 2.87 L3. The monthly prevalence ranged from 34.6% in January to 76.9% in October. The largest number of larvae (180) was obtained from a sheep in August (122 L1, 52 L2 and 6 L3). The infestation rate was higher in 4–6‐year‐old sheep, at 72.6%. The infestation rates were 64.4% in female and 47.5% in male sheep.

Ectoparasites of hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) in Konya Province, Turkey

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Haemodipsus leporis Blagoveshtchensky, 1966 (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Polyplacidae) on a Hare (Lepus europaeus, L.): new record for Turkish Phthiraptera fauna.

This study was carried out to detect lice species found on hares (L. europaeus, L.) in the Konya province. Several lice individuals were collected on a hare and were kept in 70% alcohol. Then, they were cleaned in 10% KOH for 24 hours, washed in distilled water, stored in 70%, 80%, 90% and 96% alcohol for 24 hours for each step. They were mounted on the slides in Canada balsam and examined under a binocular light microscope. Two of the species were identified as Haemodipsus leporis Blagoveshtchensky, 1966, while the others were H. lyriocephalus (Burmeister, 1839). H. leporis was found on L. europaeus for the first time in Turkey, and it was also detected on this host species for the first time throughout the world. The morphological characteristics of this species are given in this paper.