Characterization of the Buccula, Rostrum, Stridulatory Sulcus, Scutellum, and External Female Genitalia of Triatoma carcavalloi (Jurberg, Rocha & Lent, 1998), Triatoma circummaculata (Stål, 1859), and Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae).

In Brazil, Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843) is the most important species in epidemiological terms in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, due to its wide geographical distribution in this state, followed by T. carcavalloi (Jurberg, Rocha & Lent, 1998) and T. circummaculata (Stål, 1859). Structural analysis of the ventral region of the head (rostrum and buccula), thorax (stridulatorium sulcus and scutellum), and external female genitalia of adults of T. rubrovaria, T. carcavalloi, and T. circummaculata is described here. Scutellum, head, rostrum, and part of the thorax (prosternum) containing the stridulatory sulcus, in both male and female, and the sixth abdominal segment of the female, containing the external genitalia, were processed for scanning electron microscopy studies as routine. Morphological differences in the analyzed structures for all the three Triatoma species studied were detected under scanning electron microscopy. This study confirms the grouping of the T. rubrovaria, T. carcavalloi, and T. circummaculata in 'T. rubrovaria subcomplex' by their morphological similarities.

Sand fly (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) abundance and diversity in areas affected by the São Francisco River transposition project in Ceará State, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Entomological surveillance of sand fly vectors was carried out to support leishmaniasis prevention and control measures in areas affected by the São Francisco River Transposition Project. METHODS: Sand flies were collected monthly between May 2011 and December 2014 in seven municipalities: Missão Velha, Brejo Santo, Lavras da Mangabeira, Iguatu, Mauriti, Jaguaribe and Jaguaretama, in dwellings, peridomicile and forest areas for three consecutive days, for a period of 12 h each day (18:00 to 06:00 h). Differences in species composition between sites were tested with Shannon's diversity index, the similarity between habitats was estimated by the Sørensen's qualitative similarity index and, for the most abundant species in each municipality, a standardized index of species abundance was applied. The influence of climatic factors on sand fly population densities was analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: A total of 214,213 sand fly specimens belonging to 18 species were captured. The most abundant species in all municipalities was Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912). The municipalities of Mauriti and Missão Velha stand out in terms of high species richness, with the latter exhibiting the greatest diversity. The number of sand flies in the Iguatu, Jaguaribe and Jaguaretama municipality was higher during the rainy months, whereas the populations declined in the drier months; the sand fly population density in other municipalities (Missão Velha, Brejo Santo, Lavras de Mangabeira and Mauriti) showed negative correlation with rainfall. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the presence of several Leishmania spp. vectors in the seven municipalities affected by the São Francisco River Transposition Project, with Lu. longipalpis being the most abundant species at all study sites. Vector populations in these municipalities should be monitored, ultimately to assess the associations between environmental changes and sand fly population dynamics and leishmaniasis transmission risk.