Sandflies of the Phlebotomus perniciosus complex: mitochondrial introgression and a new sibling species of P. longicuspis in the Moroccan Rif.

The bloodsucking adult females of Phlebotomus perniciosus Newstead and P. longicuspis Nitzulescu (Diptera: Psychodidae) are important vectors of the protozoan Leishmania infantum Nicolle (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in western Mediterranean countries. The species status of the two phlebotomine sandflies was assessed, along with the epidemiological implications. Individual sandflies from three Moroccan Rif populations were characterized morphologically, isoenzymatically (by the isoelectrofocusing of alleles at the polymorphic enzyme loci of HK, GPI and PGM), and by comparative DNA sequence analysis of a fragment of mitochondrial Cytochrome b (mtDNA). By reference to the character profiles of specimens from other locations, including southern Spain and the type-locality countries, the Moroccan flies were placed in three lineages: first, the lineage of P. perniciosus, which contained two mtDNA sublineages, one (pnt) widely distributed and associated with the morphology of the male types from Malta, and the other (pna) associated with a P. longicuspis-like male morphology; second, the lineage of P. longicuspis sensu stricto, including typical forms from Tunisia; and third, a new sibling species of P. longicuspis. The mtDNA sublineage (pnt) of typical P. perniciosus was also found in some P. longicuspis from Morocco, indicating interspecific hybridization. The typical race of P. perniciosus occurs in Italy as well as in Malta, Tunisia and Morocco. It is replaced in southern Spain by the Iberian race (with the pni mtDNA sublineage). The discovery of interspecific gene introgression and a new sibling species mean that previous records of the two morphospecies do not necessarily reflect their true vectorial roles or geographical and ecological distributions.

Electrophoretic and morphological differentiation between two sympatric species of Adlerius: Phlebotomus brevis and Phlebotomus simici (Diptera: Psychodidae).

Phlebotomus simici Theodor and P. brevis Artemiev & Dergacheva are closely related species in the subgenus Adlerius that only may be identified by the male terminalia. Females only may be differentiated by collecting them in copula. Because females of P. simici may be involved in Leishmania transmission, their identity should be verified. Our study separated individual from 2 sympatric populations in Lebanon by means of agarose enzyme electrophoresis. Differential patterns were found at the PGM and HK loci. Results were confirmed by morphological reexamination of female spermathecae and pharyngeal armature.

Morphological and isoenzymatic differentiation of sympatric populations of Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus longicuspis (Diptera: Psychodidae) in northern Morocco.

The phlebotomine sandfly Phlebotomus perniciosus Newstead is a vector of Leishmania infantum Nicolle in the western Mediterranean basin. In northern Morocco it is often caught in sympatry with a closely related species, P. longicuspis Nitzulescu. In the locality of Chefchaouene where females of both species were morphologically distinguishable, none of the collected males exhibited forked copulatory valves, which is considered a specific character for P. perniciosus. They 1st were identified as P. longicuspis. Isoelectrofocusing of 7 enzyme systems was used to compare these specimens with the sympatric females. Two groups of males were separated and assigned to each species by their isoenzyme patterns associated with morphological differences in the shape of the aedeagus and in the number of coxite hairs. Based on our results, a reexamination of the distribution of both species is necessary especially in many locations where P. longicuspis has been identified only from males.

Differentiation of females in Sergentomyia sensu stricto (Diptera: Psychodidae) using scanning electron microscopy of pharyngeal armatures.

Scanning electron microscopy of external ornamentation and internal armature of the pharynx was used to identify females of Sergentomyia sensu stricto. Five species from the eastern Mediterranean basin were compared; S. minuta clearly was separated from species of the fallax-group. Within the fallax-group, S. fallax was distinguished readily by its heart-shaped pharynx and the difference in armature between the dorsal and lateral plates.