A SURVEY OF THE CULICOIDES (DIPTERA, CERATOPOGONIDAE) OF THE UMLALAZINATURE-RESERVE IN ZULULAND, SOUTH-AFRICA, WITH NOTES ON 2 SPECIES BITING MAN

Culicoides biting midges were intermittently collected between July 19 88 and December 1992 in the Umlalazi Nature. Reserve on the subtropica l eastern coastal margin of South Africa. Altogether 34 species were c ollected in a diversity of habitats that included a mangrove community , dune forest and mixed thornveld. Most Culicoides were collected with the aid of light traps and whilst biting man. The pupae of ten specie s were collected from substrata in an open salt marsh, as well as from fresh and stagnant groundwater situations. it was the first time that the pupae of six of these ten species were collected. Of the species collected in light traps, the two most abundant species, C. leucostict us Kieffer (49,1% of 16563 identified) and C. rhizophorensis Khamala & Kettle (22,3%), were also the two species found biting man. The larva l habitat of C. leucostictus was widespread except in the more saline, tidal areas, but that of C. rhizophorensis appeared to be restricted to the tidal salt-marsh area. Two of the species collected, C. fulvith orax Austen and C. moreli Clastrier, are new records for South Africa.