Culicoides paolae and C. circumscriptus as potential vectors of avian haemosporidians in an arid ecosystem

Parasites & Vectors

Table 3 Hosts of C. paolae based on the molecular identification of blood meal origin. The number of successfully identified blood meals is shown for each species

	Host	Cavity/open nester	No. of successful amplifications
Inside nests	European roller (Coracias garrulus)^a	Cavity nester	4
Inside nests	Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)^a	Cavity nester	2
CDC traps	Humans (Homo sapiens)	–	5
	House sparrow (Passer domesticus)	Cavity nester	4
	Common blackbird (Turdus merula)	Open nester	3
	Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops)	Cavity nester	1
	Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)	Open nester	1
	Common linnet (Linaria cannabina)	Open nester	1

^aThe blood in the abdomen of the biting midge belonged to the avian species breeding at the nest where the biting midge was collected

ISSN: 1756-3305