Ecology of Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Abstract Abstract Abstract The phlebotomine sandfly fauna of a primary forest reserve at Morretes (eastern Paraná State) was studied, using CDC-like light traps, one night per month, at canopy and ground level, between April 1995 and March 1996. A total of 3,106 insects were collected, identified as belonging to nine species. Lutzomyia ayrozai and Lu. geniculata were predominant, seven other species also being present. Monthly mean temperature, rainfall and the temperature of the collection night significantly influenced the numbers of Lu. ayrozai while the two first factors influenced the numbers of Lu. geniculata, besides the collected quantities of females of the two species. The influence of the factors on Lu. ayrozai numbers was more immediate than in those of Lu. geniculata. Numbers of both species and of the females of Lu. geniculata collected in different seasons, but not at the different heights, varied significantly. Differences between the behaviour of Lu. ayrozai in Morretes and in other regions could be attributed to environmental differences and/or to regional variations in the species, which could constitute species complexes. Hourly variations of collections were different in the species and seasons. Key-words: Key-words: Key-words: Key-words: Key-words: Phlebotominae. Fauna. Seasonal variation. Psychodidae. Height influence. Lutzomyia. Resumo Resumo ResumoResumo Resumo A fauna de flebotomíneos de uma reserva de floresta primária em Morretes (leste do Estado do Paraná) foi estudada, utilizando armadilhas luminosas tipo CDC, uma noite por mês, no nível do solo e da copa, entre abril de 1995 e março de 1996. Um total de 3.106 insetos foi coletado. Lu. ayrozai e Lu. geniculata foram predominantes, além de outras sete espécies. A temperatura média mensal, a pluviosidade e a temperatura na noite de coleta influenciaram significativamente as quantidades de Lu. ayrozai e os dois primeiros fatores influenciaram Lu. geniculata, além das quantidades de fêmeas coletadas de ambas as espécies. A influência do aumento dos fatores nas quantidades de Lu. ayrozai foi mais imediata que nas de Lu. geniculata. As quantidades coletadas de ambas as espécies e das fêmeas de Lu. geniculata nas estações, mas não nas alturas, foram significativamente diferentes. As diferenças entre os comportamentos de Lu. ayrozai em Morretes e em outras regiões poderiam ser atribuídas a diferenças ambientais e/ou a variações regionais na espécie, que poderia constituir um complexo de espécies. As variações horárias nas coletas foram diferentes nas espécies e estações.

Phlebotomines (Diptera, Psychodidae) in the Ribeira Valley Speleological Province - 1. Parque Estadual Intervales, state of São Paulo, Brazil

“…monticola had been dissected, more information about the vector of this parasite and possibly other leishmanias would have been obtained, since only 18 of its females were dissected and in foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis the natural infection by flagellates rate is only about 0.2% (Galati et al 1996). Some other aspects of its behaviour observed in the PEI had also been registered in other areas: attraction to light in the Rio Doce Valley in Minas Gerais state, a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis (Hermeto et al 1994), and in areas of Atlantic forest in Rio de Janeiro state (Afonso et al 2007); predominance in high areas (850-950 m) in the Espírito Santo state (Ferreira et al 2001); its capture in greater numbers in April in another fragment of Atlantic forest in Morretes, state of Paraná (Marcondes et al 2001).…”

Phlebotomines (Diptera, Psychodidae) in the Speleological Province of the Ribeira Valley: 3. Serra district - area of hostels for tourists who visit the Parque Estadual do Alto Ribeira (PETAR), state of São Paulo, Brazil

“…geniculatus (0.727). These latter four are better adapted to forested environments Marcondes et al 2001), differently from those species that predominated in the Serra district, better adapted to anthropic environments or the forest edge (Gomes et al 1980(Gomes et al , 1983Souza et al 2001).…”

Phlebotomine sandflies in a focus of dermal leishmaniasis in the eastern region of the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina: preliminary results (Diptera: Psychodidae)

“…Although the fauna in the western foci of Santa Catarina has been studied, nothing is known about the insects of the newly detected focus in the coastal region. The only study in the eastern region of the southern states was developed in a primary forest in Morretes (Paraná) 12 , besides some studies a long time ago in the East of Rio Grande do Sul, in which Lu. neivai (as Phlebotomus intermedius) and Lu.…”