Sarcophagid flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from Tripura, India

Systematic position of seventeen species under nine genera are reported here. Sinonipponia smarti is described as new species. Lioproctia (Coonoria) pattoni (Senior-White) is redescribed and figured.

New records of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Ecuador

The plebotomine sand fly fauna of Ecuador was surveyed in two 3-month collecting trips made in 1988 and 1990. A total of 12 provinces were visited, including three (Bolivar, Loja and Morona Santiago) from wich no previous records to phlebotomines existed. Forty-six species were collected, 13 of wich, together with 1 subspecies and 1 genus (Warileya) represented new records for the country. This survey increases the known number of species in Ecuador to 60. The distribuition of Ecuadorian sand flies is discussed in the light of these new findings.

Ecology of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)in a focus of Leishmania (Viannia) brasiliensis in northeastern Colombia

The phlebotomine sand fly fauna of two coffee plantations in a Leishmania-endemic area of Norte de Santander, Colombia was studied. Regular insect collections using a variety of methods were made for three and a half years. Information was obtained on diurnal resting sites, host range and seasonal abundance for 17 species, of wich five (Lutzomyia spinicrassa, Lu. serrana,Lu. shannoni, Lu. ovallesi and Lu. gomezi) were far more numerous than the others, anthropophilic and present throughout the year. The behaviour of these and the remaining 12 species is discussed in relation to their potential role in transmission of Leishmania (Viannia) brasiliensis in the area.

Dispersal of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a colombian focus of leishmania (Viannia) brasiliensis

Dispersal of five species of phlebotomine sand flies was studied in a coffee plantation near Arboledas, Colombia by mark-release-recapture studies using fluorescent powders. The estimated recapture rate for males of Lutzomyia shannoni marked and released during the day was 28.1% significantly higher than that for all other species (p < 0.05). Recapture rate of female Lu. shannoni was 9.5% and no females of the other four species were recovered. This suggests either that Lu. shannoni is a more sedentary species than the others, or that the large trees on wich these insects were captured and recaptured function as foci of lekking behaviour in males. The high recapture rates of females of this species may indicate that oviposition occurs in close proximity to the bases of these trees. Although most marked sand flies were recaptured within 200 m of their release point, a single female Lu. gomezi was recovered 960 m away 36 h after release. This suggests that the dispersal capacity of Lutzomyia species may be greater than has been though, an important consideration in future control programs directed against these insects in Leishmania-endemic areas.

Relationships of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera)

The status of phlebotomine sand flies in relationship to the family Psychodidae (Diptera) is reviewed. It is concluded that sand flies should be given familial recognition as Phlebotomidae, divided into subfamilies Phlebotominae and Bruchomyiinae. A comparison is made between the evolution of Psychodidae and Phlebotomidae, and it is concluded that the two families represent contrasting evolutionary experiments at an early stage of the diversification of Diptera.

Capture of Caliptrate flies with different breeding substrates on beaches in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Muscidae flies belonging to four Familia and 13 species in a total number of 3.652 specimens were collected from beaches at Ilha do Governador, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil using different breeding substrates, and subsequently bred in the laboratory. Captures were done from April to November 1989, using in a first phase different substrates: fruits (banana and papaya), vegtable (tomato), animal viscera (bovine liver), marine animals (fish, crab, shrimp, squid), mouse carcass and feaces (human and canine). The species collected more often were: Fannia sp. (subgroup pusio), Chrysomya megacephala, Phaenicia eximia, Synthesiomyia nudiseta, Peckya chrysostoma, Musca domestica and Atherigona orientalis. In a later phase, only fish was used, as bait and placed directly on the beach sand. From a total of 189 pupae, the following adult specimen were obtained: Peckia chrysostoma (58.06%), Chrysomya megacephala (30.64%) and in lesser numbers Synthesiomyia nudiseta and Phaenicia eximia.

An attempt to control Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) by residual spraying with deltamethrin in a Colombian village

An attempt was made to control phlebotomine sand flies biting indoors in a rural community near Cali, Colombia, using the residual insecticide "K-Othrine" (deltamethrin) sprayed on the inside walls of houses. Twelve houses were divided into matched pairs based on physical characteristics, one house in each pair being left untreated while the inside walls of the other were sprayed with 1 deltamethrin at a concentration of 500 mg a.i./m2. Sand flies were sampled each week using protected human bait and sticky trap collections for four months after spraying. The number of sand flies (Lutzomyia youngi) collected on sticky traps was significantly lower (P = 0.004) in the untreated houses than in the treated ones with which they were matched. This difference was not significant for L. columbiana; the other anthropophilic species were not present in large numbers. The numbers collected on human bait in treated and untreated houses were not significantly different for either species. Activity of the insecticide as determined by contact bioassays remained high throughout the study and failure to control the insects was attributed to two factors: the tendency of sand flies to bite before making contact with the insecticide and the fact that the number of sand flies that entered houses represented a relatively small proportion of the population in the wooded areas surrounding the settlement in the study.

Report on a collection of Lutzomyia sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the middle Solimões (Amazonas, Brazil)

Fifty-two species of Lutzomyia sand flies were identified in contemporaneous samples totalling only 1875 individuals, collected at the same site in tall primary terra-firme rainforest, near the south bank of the Solimões River. The most abundant species belonged to the subgenera Trichophoromyia and Nyssomyia. The subgenera Psathyromyia, Nyssomyia and Psychodopygus represented the greatest number of species. A new, aberrant species of the subgenus Psathyromyia (L. cultellata) and the female of Lu. souzacastroi are described. The Phlebotominae are proposed as a suitable indicator group for biogeographic and diversity studies.

Diagnostic Importance of Female External Genital Structure of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera:Psychodidae) as Observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Morphological description of sand flies has remained a neglected area. The different organs used in taxonomy have not yet been described adequately with the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We have examined the external genital structures of females of three Old World phlebotomine sand flies under SEM and recorded the morphological variations of the organs. We have found the female external genital structures of the three species varied considerably in morphology. The importance of the female external genital structures in sand fly identification is indicated

Notes on the Phlebotomine Sand Flies from the Peruvian Southeast: I. Description of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) adamsi n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae)

A new species of phlebotomine sand fly, Lutzomyia adamsi n. sp., is described and illustrated from specimens collected during August 1994, in Sandia, Department of Puno-Peru. According to the Oficina Nacional de Evaluacion de Recursos Naturales(ONERN 1976), this locality is situated in the life zone known as humid, mountain, low tropical forest (bh-MBT). Many areas in the northern part of Puno, mainly in the Inambari and Tambopata basins, are endemic to leishmaniasis. These areas are the continuation of others, largely known as "leishmaniasic" in the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios. The morphological characteristics indicated that this species belongs to the genus Lutzomyia, subgenus Helcocyrtomyia Barretto, 1962

Phlebotomine Sand Flies from São Gabriel da Cachoeira (State of Amazonas, Brazil) with a Description of Lutzomyia (Psychodopygus) douradoi n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Thirty-five species of Lutzomyia and two species of Brumptomyia were identified among 795 phlebotomines taken in light-traps near the upper reaches of the middle Rio Negro. The subgenus Psychodopygus predominated in number of species (11) and relative abundance (74-81% in light trap samples from the forest and 99% on human bait). For many of the species these records help to fill large gaps on current maps of distribution, and for others (L. olmeca nociva, L. mangabeirana, L. triacantha) the findings represent a significant expansion of their known range. A new species in the subgenus Psychodopygus (L. douradoi) is described from both sexes, and L. bettinii is recorded for the first time in Brazil.

The Effects of a DNA Virus Infection on the Reproductive Potential of Female Tsetse Flies, Glossina morsitans centralis and Glossina morsitans morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae)

Reproductive anomalies associated with the tsetse DNA virus infection in the female tsetse hosts, Glossina morsitans centralis Machado and Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood, inoculated with the virus during the 3rd instar larval stage were studied and the data compared to those obtained from the control females injected with sterile physiological saline. Virus infected flies had significantly longer first and second pregnancy cycles (P<0.0001) and produced pupae that were of significantly less weight in milligrams (P<0.0001) compared to controls. Transmission of the virus to progeny was not absolute and only 21% of G. m. centralis and 48% of G. m. morsitans first progeny flies from infected females developed salivary gland hypertrophy as a result of transmission from mother to progeny. The virus infected females produced significantly fewere pupae compared to the controls during the experimental period (P<0.00001).

Density of Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Domestic and Wild Animal Shelters in an Area of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

The objective of the present study was to determine the association of sand flies with the presence of domestic and wild animals in the peridomiciliary area. The sand flies were collected using direct aspiration and CDC light traps placed in animal shelters. The results suggest that different sand flies species have different behavioral characteristics in an apparent preference for animal baits and that Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lu. evandroi were the most eclectic species regarding their biotope choice. Lu. longipalpis showed a distinct preference for horses and Lu. evandroi for armadillos.