Effect of trapping methods on the estimation of alpha diversity of a phlebotomine sandfly assemblage in southern Mexico

Abstract

The aims of the study were to (a) investigate the effect of trapping methods on alpha diversity; and (b) enhance the knowledge of the sandfly assemblage in the state of Quintana Roo. Field work was undertaken in a tropical forest of southern Mexico from August 2013 to July 2014. Sampling was conducted monthly during three consecutive nights. For each trapping night, 12 different types of trap were operated from 18.00 to 24.00 hours in four transects. Measures of alpha community diversity were based on the quantification of the number of species (Chao 2, Jackknife 2, Clench's equation, Margalef's index) and the community structure, as well as the dominance (Simpson and Berger-Parker indexes) and evenness (Shannon's entropy index, true diversity of the Jost and Pielou index). With a total sampling effort of 1728 night-traps, 16 101 phlebotomine sandflies were collected; they represented two genera and 13 species. Diversity estimates of 100% (Chao 2 and Clench's equation) and 85% (Jackknife 2) of potential species in the study area were calculated. Shannon traps and CDC light traps indicated the largest number of species, but only Shannon traps showed the greatest abundance. This inventory of sandflies is an important activity to enhance our knowledge of sandfly assemblages and guilds. The ultimate goal of studying alpha diversity in sandflies would be to have a better understanding of the population dynamics and all complex networks of interactions that may, in turn, be associated with the epidemiology of the disease.

A novel method for monitoring ground-dwelling arthropods on hard substrates: characterizing arthropod biodiversity among survey methods

“…The observed sampling efficiency is similar to that found in other studies of this type: a ground beetle study in nearby Cleveland, Ohio found that their unbaited pitfall traps collected 69% of the estimated species richness in one year of study and 66% the next [85]. In a sandfly trapping comparison study in Mexico, Jackknife order 2 estimates predicted 85% of taxa were found between all trap types [86].…”

Identification of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from leishmaniasis endemic areas in southeastern Mexico using DNA barcoding

“…Identification of Br. mesai in the present study is not in doubt as this is a common and abundant species in Quintana Roo (Rodríguez‐Rojas & Rebollar‐Téllez, ); likewise, the misidentification of KR907864 and GU909506 is quite plausible given that the sequences were unpublished (Table ), and submitting authors may have not given careful consideration to the morphological identification. We suspected the specimens are likely from species typical of Colombia with no current representation on public databases.…”

Métodos de recolecta y monitoreo de adultos Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae), vectores de los agentes causales de las leishmaniasis

“…La trampa Shannon ha sido empleada en la península de Yucatán (74, 118-124), en Chiapas (125,126). Se ha determinado que las colectas con esta trampa en Quintana Roo tuvieron la mayor influencia en los estimadores de diversidad como son las curvas de rango-abundancia y las de acumulación de especies (124).…”