Argentinian phlebotomine fauna, new records of Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) for the country and the province of Chaco

Abstract

Sand flies are insects of medical and veterinary importance, because some species are able to transmit several pathogens such as Bartonella spp., Phlebovirus spp., and protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania (Ross). They are widely distributed in the Americas, with recordings ranging from Canada to Argentina. Approximately 500 Phlebotominae species are known in the Americas, of which it is considered that at least 56 are involved in the transmission of leishmaniasis (Maroli et al. 2012). Previous studies have shown that the phlebotomine fauna in Argentina consists of 32 species distributed in 14 provinces (Quintana et al. 2012; Sábio et al. 2015; Salomón et al. 2010). Of these species, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva), Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto), Ny. whitmani (Antunes & Countinho), Cortelezzii complex [Evandromyia cortelezzii (Brèthes) – Ev. sallesi (Galvão & Coutinho)], Micropygomyia quinquefer (Dyar) and Migonemyia migonei (França) have been found with DNA of Leishmania spp. (Moya et al. 2015). Five new records of species in the province of Chaco, obtained from different projects carried out between 2001 and 2015, four of which are also new records for Argentina, are described in this article. Their importance as potential vectors and the correct determination of the sympatric species is also discussed.

Co‐occurrence and seasonal and environmental distributions of the sandflies Lutzomyia longipalpis and Nyssomyia whitmani in the city of Puerto Iguazú, northeastern Argentina

“…neivai, which are of epidemiological interest as eventual competent vectors of Leishmania spp. (de Pita-Pereira et al, 2005;Szelag et al, 2016).…”

Temporal distribution of, and effect of anthropic modifications on, phlebotomine populations in the Chaco Bioregion, Argentina

“…corumbaensis and Ev. termitophila was recorded for the first time in Argentina, and individuals of the species previously recorded in Chaco Province as Pa. shannoni and Pa. microcephala were assigned here to Pa. bigeniculata (Szelag et al., ). Also, the presence of Sc.…”

Considerations on the Species Complex of the Cortelezzii series (Diptera: Psychodidae) and Description of Evandromyia chacuensis sp. nov., a New Phlebotomine Species of the Chaco Region, Argentina

“…Collections were undertaken in known cutaneous leishmaniasis foci in two regions (Western Chaco and Eastern Chaco) of Chaco Province, between 2006and 2013(Rosa et al 2010, Szelag et al 2016. Captures were made monthly with mini CDC light traps (Sudia and Chamberlain 1962) installed 1.5 m above ground level from 7 pm to 7 am.…”