Menu
Brasil
home Sumário navigate_before Anterior Atual Seguinte navigate_next
home Sumário
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION | SHORT COMMUNICATION • Acta Amaz. 55 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392202304181 linkcopy

Open-access Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from peridomestic environments at Los Amigos Biological Station, Madre de Dios, Peru

Flebótomos (Diptera: Psychodidae) de ambientes peridomésticos en la Estación Biológica Los Amigos, Madre de Dios, Perú

AuthorshipSCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

    ABSTRACT

    Madre de Dios, a department in Peru, is an endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis, accounting for about 20% of the country’s annual leishmaniasis cases. In April 2023, phlebotomine sand flies were captured from the peridomicile areas of Los Amigos Biological Station, located within Madre de Dios, using a modified Katchy light trap. A total of 801 individuals belonging to 19 species were identified and categorized based on their vectorial potential. Notably, this study’s capture of a female Evandromyia andersoni marks the first report of this species in Peru. The most abundant species found were from the genera Psychodopygus (7 species), Trichophoromyia (3 species) and Nyssomyia (3 species), with several species likely involved in the transmission of leishmaniasis in the region.

    Key-words:
    species registration; insect vectors; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Peru

    RESUMEN

    Madre de Dios, un departamento de Perú, es una zona endémica de leishmaniasis cutánea, que representa alrededor del 20% de los casos anuales de leishmaniasis del país. En abril de 2023, se capturaron flebótomos de las áreas peridomiciliarias de la Estación Biológica Los Amigos, ubicada en Madre de Dios, utilizando una trampa de luz Katchy modificada. Un total de 801 individuos pertenecientes a 19 especies fueron identificados y categorizados de acuerdo con su potencial vectorial. Cabe destacar que la captura de una hembra de Evandromyia andersoni en este estudio marca el primer reporte de esta especie en Perú. Las especies más abundantes encontradas fueron de los géneros Psychodopygus (7 especies), Trichophoromyia (3 especies) y Nyssomyia (3 especies), con varias especies probablemente implicadas en la transmisión de la leishmaniasis en la región.

    Palabras clave:
    registro de especies; insectos vectores; Leishmaniasis cutánea; Perú

    In the most recent classification, approximately 1060 species of phlebotomine sand flies have been described in the world, with over half of the species occurring in the Americas (Galati and Rodrigues 2023). It has been found that 56 species are proven or suspected vectors of Leishmania parasites in the New World (Maroli et al. 2013). In Peru, more than 140 species of phlebotomine sand flies have been reported and it was estimated that 80% of these are found in the Amazon region (Shimabukuro et al. 2017; Zorrilla et al. 2017). In 2022, a total of 5,358 cases of leishmaniasis were reported in Peru, 89% of which were cutaneous leishmaniasis (Peru 2023). The department of Madre de Dios, located in the lowland Amazonian rainforest of southeastern Peru, stands out for having the highest incidence of leishmaniasis in the country, contributing about 20% of the annual cases (Peru 2023). In this region, sylvatic leishmaniasis is mainly caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Le. (V.) guyanensis; however, Le. (V.) lainsoni, Le. (V.) shawi and Le. (Leishmania) amazonensis have also been detected in suspected or confirmed vectors (Valdivia et al. 2012; Kato et al. 2016; Koarashi et al. 2016).

    Los Amigos Biological Station (LABS) is located in the department of Madre de Dios, approximately 100 km West of Puerto Maldonado at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Los Amigos rivers (12°34′9″S, 70°6′0.40″W) (Figure 1).

    thumbnail of Figure 1
    Figure 1
    Map of South America highlighting the department of Madre de Dios, showing the location of Los Amigos Biological Station (LABS).

    It is characterized by Amazonian lowland rainforest, at an elevation of approximately 268 m.a.s.l., with a mean annual temperature of 21-26 °C and distinct wet and dry seasons (Pitman 2010). A total of 12 species of phlebotomine sand flies were reported from this locality in a previous study on leishmaniasis risk factors along the Madre de Dios River (Lucero 2015). The aim of the present study was to characterize the composition of the phlebotomine sandfly fauna in anthropic environments of Los Amigos Biological Station.

    Three sites in the peridomicile (site 1: around a cabin, site 2: around the living room, site 3: around the dining room) of Los Amigos Biological Station were sampled in this study during the first week of April 2023. Phlebotomine sand flies were captured using a modified Katchy UV light trap (Charope Inc., Walpole MA, USA) (Méndez-Cardona et al. 2025), operated from 18:00 to 6:00 for one night at each site. The trap has a metallic mesh opening that allows airflow but is large enough for phlebotomine sand flies to escape. To solve this, an external fine mesh collecting bag was attached using an elastic band over the bottom end of the trap. Phlebotomine sand flies were sorted and preserved in vials containing 70 % ethanol. In the laboratory, collected specimens were clarified using potassium hydroxide (KOH 10%) and saturated phenol. Species were identified following morphological characteristics described in the taxonomic keys by Galati (2018).

    A total of 801 flies of the subfamily Phlebotominae were collected, 286 from site 1, 373 from site 2, and 142 from site 3. The majority of phlebotomine sand flies were female (82.6 %) and we identified 19 species belonging to eight genera (Table 1). To the best of our knowledge, one female identified as Evandromyia andersoni Le Pont & Desjeux, 1988 represents a new record for Peru, marking the westernmost known distribution of this species, extending from Bolivia and Brazil (Young and Duncan 1994, Pinto et al. 2023).

    Thumbnail
    Table 1
    Counts of phlebotomine sand fly by species and sex, collected in the peridomicile at Los Amigos Biological Station, Madre de Dios, Peru in April 2023.

    Of the species captured, 11 have been recognized as vectors and/or probable vectors of Leishmania parasites in the Amazonian rainforest (Zorrilla et al. 2017; Rangel et al. 2018; Vadmal et al. 2023). Nyssomyia shawi (Fraiha, Ward & Ready, 1981) and Psychodopygus llanosmartinsi Fraiha & Ward, 1980 were the most abundant species accounting for 66.8 % of the captures. They were followed by Ps. davisi (Root, 1934), Ps. hirsutus (Mangabeira, 1942) and Ps. paraensis (Costa Lima, 1941), which made up 10.6 % of the total. Lastly, Ps. carrerai (Barretto, 1946), N. antunesi (Coutinho, 1939), Ps. amazonensis (Root, 1934), Ny. yuilli (Young & Porter, 1972), Pa. aragaoi (Costa Lima, 1932) and Ps. yucumensis (Le Pont, Caillard, Tibayrenc & Desjeux, 1986), represented only 1.4 % of the captures (Table 1).

    Nyssomyia shawi, the most abundant species found in this study, has been found with Leishmania sp. flagellates in Brazil and L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis in Bolivia (Ryan et al. 1987; Garcia et al. 2007). Its predominant occurrence in human-modified environments suggest anthropophilic behavior (Valdivia et al. 2021). Psychodopygus llanosmartinsi and Ps. davisi have also been found infected with L. (V.) braziliensis and are considered as probable vectors in Madre de Dios (Zorrilla et al. 2017). The presence of these species surrounding human dwellings possibly aids in sustaining the transmission cycles of the disease, posing a risk to communities living in this region (Zorrilla et al. 2017). Additionally, Psychodopygus paraensis, Ps. amazonensis, Ps. hirsutus have been found with flagellates of Leishmania sp. (Ryan et al. 1987; Gil et al. 2003; Rangel and Lainson 2009). Although only a few individuals of N. antunesi, Ps. yucumensis and N. yuilli were captured, it is important to recognize that these species are often present in areas with disease transmission, not only in Peru but also in neighboring countries (Barreto et al. 2000; Santamaría et al. 2006; Teles et al. 2016).

    Of the individuals belonging to the non-vector species group, 95% comprises three species of the subgenus Trichophoromyia Barreto, 1962. A similar number of T. nr. sinuosa (Young & Duncan, 1994) males and Trichophoromyia spp. females suggests that these females correspond to this male species, but sympatric occurrence with males of T. nemorosa (Young & Pérez, 1994) limits this inference. In general, most females of the genus Thrichophoromyia are very similar in morphology and are identified by the presence of male individuals collected from the same site or habitat (Young and Duncan 1994). The genus Trichophoromyia contains 47 species of which 18 are present in the Amazon region of Peru (Fernandez et al. 2015; Shimabukuro et al. 2017; Méndez-Cardona and Cabrera-Quintero 2024). Because of the high abundance of this genus in peridomestic environments and a recent publication suggesting that some species may be involved in disease transmission, future study to determine their vector status is warranted (Santos and Silveira 2020).

    Our findings reveal that multiple vector species of leishmaniasis were present in the peridomestic areas of Los Amigos Biological Station, posing a risk of the disease transmission to visitors and inhabitants. Although L. sherlocki Martins, Silva & Falcão, 1971 and T. auraensis (Mangabeira, 1942) had been previously reported in this locality (Lucero 2015), they were not collected in our study. Nyssomyia shawi, the most abundant species in our study, is a suspected putative vector of L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis in Amazonian lowlands (Garcia et al. 2007). The abundant occurrence of species from the genera Psychodopygus Mangabeira, 1941 (7 spp.), Nyssomyia Barretto, 1962 (3 spp.) and Trichophoromyia (3 spp.) around human dwellings is consistent with previous studies conducted in Peru (Valdivia et al. 2012; Lucero 2015; Teles et al. 2016). This suggests that these species could play an important role in the transmission of leishmaniasis in the Peruvian Amazon basin region.

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    We thank the research fellows in Los Amigos Biological Station and Manu Biological Station for their assistance during fieldwork and Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica - ACCA for providing the setting for this research. We also thank Dr. Maria Cristina Carrasquilla and Dr. Panpim Thongsripong for the critical revision of the manuscript. This work was funded by the International Conservation Fund of Canada - ICFC (#2022-51).

    REFERENCES

    • Barreto, M.; Burbano, M. E.; Barreto, P. 2000. Lutzomyia sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from middle and lower Putumayo Department, Colombia, with new records to the country. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 95(5): 633-639.
    • Fernandez, R.; Lopez, V.; Cardenas, R.; Requena, E. 2015. Description of Lutzomyia (Trichophoromyia) nautaensis n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Peruvian Amazon Basin. Journal Medical Entomology 52: 622-625.
    • Galati, E.A.B. 2018. Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae): classification, morphology and terminology of adults and identification of American taxa. In: Rangel, E.F.; Shaw, J. (Eds.). Brasilian Sand Flies Springer International Publishing AG, Cham. p.9-212.
    • Galati, E.A.B.; Rodrigues, B.L. 2023. A Review of Historical Phlebotominae Taxonomy (Diptera: Psychodidae). Neotropical Entomology 52: 539-559.
    • Garcia, A.L.; Tellez, T.; Parrado, R.; Rojas, E.; Bermudez, H.; Dujardin, J.C. 2007. Epidemiological monitoring of American tegumentary leishmaniasis: molecular characterization of a peridomestic transmission cycle in the Amazonian lowlands of Bolivia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 101: 1208-1213.
    • Gil, L.H.; Basano, S.A.; Souza, A.A.; Silva, M.G.; Barata, I.; Ishikawa, E.A.; et al. 2003. Recent observations on the sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) fauna of the state of Rondonia, western Amazonia, Brazil: the importance of Psychodopygus davisi as a vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 98: 751-755.
    • Koarashi, Y.; Cáceres, A.G.; Saca, F.M.Z.; Flores, E.E.P.; Trujillo, A.C.; Alvares, J.L.A. et al. 2016. Identification of causative Leishmania species in Giemsa-stained smears prepared from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru using PCR-RFLP. Acta Tropica 158: 83-87.
    • Kato, H.; Cáceres, A.G.; Hashiguchi, Y. 2016. First evidence of a hybrid of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis/L.(V.) peruviana DNA detected from the phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia tejadai in Peru. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 10: e0004336.
    • Lucero, D.F. 2015. Factors Associated with Distribution of Leishmaniasis Disease and Vectors in Madre de Dios, Peru. Master´s dissertation. Duke University, USA, 57p. (https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10013)
      » https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10013
    • Maroli, M.; Feliciangeli, M.D.; Bichaud, L.; Charrel, R.N.; Gradoni, L. 2013. Phlebotomine sandflies and the spreading of leishmaniases and other diseases of public health concern. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 27:123-147.
    • Méndez-Cardona, S.; Cabrera-Quintero, O.L. 2024. Description of Trichophoromyia macrisae, a new phlebotominesand fly species (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru. Zootaxa 5537: 431-438.
    • Méndez-Cardona, S.; Lopera-Toro, A.; Morales-Monje, J.A.; Forsyth, A.; Cabrera-Quintero, O.L. 2025. Field evaluation of a commercial light trap for sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) surveillance in the Peruvian Amazon and new species records for Cusco Department. Journal of Vector Ecology 50: 60-68.
    • Perú. 2023. Ministerio de Salud - Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Prevención Y Control De Enfermedades. Situación epidemiológica de la Leishmaniasis en el Perú, SE 52-2022. Boletín Epidemiológico del Perú Volumen 32 - SE 12. ( (https://www.dge.gob.pe/epipublic/uploads/boletin/boletin_202311_28_120903.pdf ). Accessed on 3 Nov 2023.
      » https://www.dge.gob.pe/epipublic/uploads/boletin/boletin_202311_28_120903.pdf
    • Pinto, C.S.; Alves, V.R.; Santos, W.S.; Garcez, L.M. 2023. Flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae) do nordeste do Pará, Brasil, com expansão da distribuição conhecida de Evandromyia andersoni Revista Pan-Amazônica de Saúde 14: e202301302.
    • Pitman, N.C.A. 2010. An overview of the Los Amigos watershed, Madre de Dios, southeastern Peru. ( (http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1620.4329 ). Accessed on 5 Nov 2023.
      » http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1620.4329
    • Rangel, E.F.; Lainson, R. 2009. Proven and putative vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil: aspects of their biology and vectorial competence. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 104: 937-954.
    • Rangel, E.F.; Lainson, R.; Carvalho, B.M.; Costa, S.M.; Shaw, J.J. 2018. Sand Fly Vectors of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Brazil. In: Rangel, E.F.; Shaw, J. (Eds.). Brasilian Sand Flies Springer International Publishing AG, Cham . p.341-380.
    • Ryan, L.; Lainson, P.; Shaw, J.J. 1987. Leishmaniasis in Brazil. XXIV. Natural flagellate infections of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Pará State, with particular reference to the role of Psychodopygus wellcomei as the vector of Leishmania braziliensis in the Serra dos Carajás. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 81: 353-359.
    • Santamaría, E.; Ponce, N.; Zipa, Y.; Ferro, C. 2006. Presencia en el peridomicilio de vectores infectados con Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis en dos focos endémicos en el occidente de Boyacá, piedemonte del valle del Magdalena medio, Colombia. Biomedica 26: 82-94.
    • Santos, T.V.D.; Silveira, F.T. 2020. Increasing putative vector importance of Trichophoromyia phlebotomines (Diptera: Psychodidae). Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 115: e190284.
    • Shender, L.A.; De Los Santos, M.; Montgomery, J.M.; Conrad, P.A.; Ghersi, B.M.; Razuri, H.; Mazet, J.A. 2014. Native rodent species are unlikely sources of infection for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis along the Transoceanic Highway in Madre de Dios, Peru. PloS One 9: e103358.
    • Shimabukuro, P.H.F.; Andrade, A.J.; Galati, E.A.B. 2017. Checklist of American sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae): genera, species, and their distribution. ZooKeys 660: 67-106.
    • Teles, C.B.; Santos, A.P.; Freitas, R.A.; Oliveira, A.F.; Ogawa, G.M.; Rodrigues, M.S.; et al. 2016. Phlebotomine sandfly (Diptera: Psychodidae) diversity and their Leishmania DNA in a hot spot of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis human cases along the Brazilian border with Peru and Bolivia. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 111: 423-432.
    • Valdivia, H.O.; De los Santos, M.B.; Fernandez, R.; Baldeviano, G.C.; Zorrilla, V.O.; Vera, H.; et al. 2012. Natural Leishmania infection of Lutzomyia auraensis in Madre de Dios, Peru, detected by a Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 87: 511-517.
    • Valdivia, H.O.; Zorrilla, V.O.; Espada, L.J.; Perez, J.G.; Razuri, H.R.; Vera, H.; et al. 2021. Diversity, distribution and natural Leishmania infection of sand flies from communities along the Interoceanic Highway in the Southeastern Peruvian Amazon. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15: e0009000.
    • Vadmal, G.M.; Glidden, C.K.; Han, B.A.; Carvalho, B.M.; Castellanos, A.A.; Mordecai, E.A. 2023. Data-driven predictions of potential Leishmania vectors in the Americas. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 17(2): e0010749.
    • Young, D.G.; Duncan, M.A. 1994. Guide to the identification and geographic distribution of Lutzomyia sand flies in Mexico, the West Indies, Central and the South America (Diptera: Psychodidae) Association Publishers American Entomological Institute, Gainesville. 881p.
    • Zorrilla, V.; Vasquez, G.; Espada, L.; Ramirez, P. 2017. Update on tegumentary leishmaniasis and carrion’s disease vectors in Peru. Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Pública 34: 485-496.
    • CITE AS:
      Méndez-Cardona, S.; Mendieta, S.; Cabrera-Quintero, O.L. 2025. Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from peridomestic environments at Los Amigos Biological Station, Madre de Dios, Peru. Acta Amazonica 55: e55bc23418.

    Data availability

    The data supporting the findings of this study were been published in this article.

    Edited by

    • ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
      Fernando Abad-Franch

    Publication Dates

    • Publication in this collection
      02 May 2025
    • Date of issue
      2025

    History

    • Received
      05 Sept 2023
    • Accepted
      05 Nov 2024
    Creative Common - by 4.0
    This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
    vertical_align_top show_chart
    location_on
    Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Av. André Araujo, 2936 Aleixo, 69060-001 Manaus AM Brasil, Tel.: +55 92 3643-3030, Fax: +55 92 643-3223 - Manaus - AM - Brazil
    E-mail: acta@inpa.gov.br
    rss_feed Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS
    Reportar erro