Eggshell as a characteristic to identify Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) intermedia (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) and Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) neivai (Pinto, 1926) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Wagner Alexandre Costa; Simone Miranda da Costa; Elizabeth Ferreira Rangel; Jacenir Reis dos Santos-Mallet; José Eduardo Serrão

doi:10.5123/S2176-62232012000100003

Authors

Wagner Alexandre Costa Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Simone Miranda da Costa Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Elizabeth Ferreira Rangel Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Jacenir Reis dos Santos-Mallet Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
José Eduardo Serrão Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5123/S2176-62232012000100003

Keywords:

Psychodidae, Insect Vectors, Animal Structure, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Chorionic Sculpturing, Systematics

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Sand flies are the main vectors of leishmaniasis diseases that infect approximately 12 million people in 88 countries, with approximately 350 million people living in risk areas. Sand fly species are identified based on the morphology of the adults, and there are few studies of the immature insects, making the accurate identification of these vectors prior to adult emergence difficult. This study investigated the eggshell morphology of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) intermedia and Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) neivai. The results obtained with scanning electron microscopy and quantitative analyses showed the occurrence of significant differences among numbers of tubercles in the eggshell of both species, besides the presence of some cross-conections between ridges, only in L. (N.) intermedia, thus enabling the morphological differentiation between eggs of both species.