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Analysis of the activity patterns of two sympatric sandfly siblings of the Lutzomyia longipalpis species complex from Brazil
Author(s) -
RIVAS G. B. S.,
SOUZA N. A.,
PEIXOTO A. A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
medical and veterinary entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2915
pISSN - 0269-283X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2008.00742.x
Subject(s) - biology , sympatric speciation , sandfly , psychodidae , reproductive isolation , zoology , vector (molecular biology) , species complex , phlebotominae , visceral leishmaniasis , ecology , leishmania , lutzomyia , leishmaniasis , parasite hosting , population , immunology , biochemistry , demography , sociology , world wide web , computer science , gene , recombinant dna , phylogenetic tree
Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. (Lutz & Neiva) (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Latin America. Differences in copulation songs, pheromones and molecular markers show that L. longipalpis is a species complex in Brazil. The patterns of activity of insect vectors are important in disease transmission. In addition, differences in activity rhythms have a potential role as a temporal reproductive isolation mechanism in closely related species. We compared the activity patterns of males and females of two sympatric species of the Longipalpis complex from Sobral (Ceará State, Brazil) in controlled laboratory conditions. We observed small but significant differences between the two species in the activity phase in both males and females.