Differentiation of Vector Species of Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Kenya by Chorionic Sculpturing of Their Eggs

Abstract

Chorionic sculpturing on eggs of Phlebotomus pedifer Lewis, Mutinga, and Ashford; the closely related Phlebotomus aculeatus Lewis, Minter, and Ashford (= P. elegonensis Ngoka, Madel, and Mutinga); and Phlebotomus martini Parrot was examined and compared by scanning electron microscopy. The eggs of P. pedifer had a general pattern of longitudinal ridges; those of P. aculeatus and P. martini exhibited intraspecific differences. Chorionic patterns of eggs were not reliable to differentiate these species. It is suggested that other methods of differentiation should be used on these species.

Chorion patterns on eggs of Lutzomyia sandflies from the Peruvian Andes

“…Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a better tool for describing the patterns of chorion sculpturing on the eggs of insects. SEM has been applied to sandfly eggs of various species from the New World (Ward & Ready, 1975;Zimmerman et a/.. 1977;Endris etal., 1987;Feliciangeli etal., 1993) as well as the Old World (Irungu er al., 1986;Lane & El Sawof, 1986;Gebre-Michael & Lane, 1991;Rogo et al, 1992;Fausto et al, 1991Fausto et al, , 1992.…”

Patterns of Exochorion Ornaments on Eggs of Seven South American Species ofLutzomyiaSand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

“…Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used to analyze the egg surface of different phlebotomine species in both the Old (Fausto et al 1992, Rogo et al 1992) and the New World (Ward and Ready 1975, Zimmerman et al 1977, Endris et al 1987, Feliciangeli et al 1993, Perez and Ogusuku 1997, Fausto et al 2001). This approach is of interest because of the existence of several cryptic and isomorphic species (several species exist where the females are indistinguishable) in the Phlebotominae.…”

Ootaxonomic investigation of five Lutzomyia species (Diptera, Psychodidae) from Venezuela

“…With regard to sand flies, studies on eggshell morphology have been delayed by the difficulty of finding eggs in nature and of breeding certain species. The eggs of Old World sand flies have only been studied for a limited number of species (Irungo et al 1985, Lane & El Sawaf 1986, Gebre-Michael & Lane 1991, Fausto et al 1991, Rogo et al 1992, Ghosh & Mukhopadhway 1996. These studies suggest that differences in egg sculpture of Sergentomyia and Phlebotomus species are sufficient for separation of the two genera, hitherto based on other taxonomic characters (Perfil'iev 1966).…”