DNA barcoding has been an effective tool for species identification in several animal groups. Here, we used DNA barcoding to discriminate between 47 morphologically distinct species of Brazilian sand flies. DNA barcodes correctly identified approximately 90% of the sampled taxa (42 morphologically distinct species) using clustering based on neighbor-joining distance, of which four species showed comparatively higher maximum values of divergence (range 4.23–19.04%), indicating cryptic diversity. The DNA barcodes also corroborated the resurrection of two species within the shannoni complex and provided an efficient tool to differentiate between morphologically indistinguishable females of closely related species. Taken together, our results validate the effectiveness of DNA barcoding for species identification and the discovery of cryptic diversity in sand flies from Brazil.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the state of Rio de Janeiro is sporadic and can
be characterised as a peridomestic transmission that occurs in modified natural
environments. The aim of this work was to study the fauna and ecological
characteristics of sandflies in an environmentally protected area (the State
Park of Serra da Tiririca) within the remnants of the Atlantic Forest in the
municipalities of Niterói and Maricá and their possible relationship with
leishmaniasis. Captures were performed using light traps during the night once a
month for one year in both sylvatic environments and areas surrounding homes
near the park. A total of 1,037 sandflies were captured, belonging to nine
genera and 12 species: Evandromyia tupynambai (34.1%),
Migonemyia migonei (20.6%), Brumptomyia
cunhai (13.8%), Micropygomyia schreiberi (9.7%),
Psathyromyia lanei (6.5%), Brumptomyia
nitzulescui (5.7%), Evandromyia edwardsi
(5.4%), Nyssomyia intermedia (2.8%), Evandromyia
cortelezzii (0.6%), Pintomyia bianchigalatiae
(0.5%), Lutzomyia longipalpis (0.2%) and Sciopemyia
microps (0.1%). Both Mg. migonei and Ny.
intermedia may be acting as vectors of CL in this area.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, is sporadic in many rural and suburban areas of Rio de Janeiro State. An investigation was carried out during 2008/9 in the Municipality of Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Southeast Brazil, in order to identify the phlebotomine sand fly fauna. More than 2,100 sand flies were collected in peridomestic areas in two chicken coops using CDC light traps. Nine species of phlebotomine sand flies were identified: Nyssomyia intermedia, Nyssomyia whitmani, Pintomyia (P.) pessoai, Pintomyia (P.) fischeri, Pintomyia (P.) bianchigalatiae, Migonemyia (M.) migonei, Lutzomyia (L.) longipalpis, Brumptomyia cunhai and Brumptomyia guimaraesi. Based on the results of this study together with related studies in other CL foci in Rio de Janeiro, both Nissomyia intermedia and Migonemyia migonei can be considered suspect vectors of the disease in the region. The potential risk of VL due to the presence of its proven vector L. longipalpis is discussed. Journal of Vector Ecology 36 (Supplement 1): S95-S98. 2011.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.