Kolkata: Zoological Survey of India researchers have identified 23 species of blood-sucking flies belonging to the Culicoides genus, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Of these, 13 species were reported for the first time in India.
Published in the international journal ‘Parasites and Vectors’, the study is the first comprehensive survey of the mosquito-like insects in the region. Locally known as “Bhusi flies“, they are notorious for feeding on the blood of livestock — sheep, goats, cattle — and wild animals like deer. Five of these species are capable of transmitting Blue Tongue Disease, a potentially fatal viral condition for livestock.
“This discovery is crucial for the region, given the threat posed by Blue Tongue Disease to livestock and the importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a major tourist destination,” said Dhriti Banerjee, director of ZSI. She stressed the need for regular surveillance and control measures to mitigate risks.
The study, conducted in 2022 and 2023, revealed that 17 of the 23 identified species are capable of biting humans, although no evidence of human disease transmission has been reported so far. “Our findings highlight the need for systematic surveys across the islands to understand the potential role of these flies in disease transmission,” said Atanu Naskar, officer-in-charge of ZSI’s Diptera section.
“We expect to discover more Culicoides species as we expand our survey and conduct genetic and population studies,” said senior research fellow Kaustav Mukherjee.
