Morphological and Molecular Investigations of Population Structure ofPhlebotomus perniciosusandPhlebotomus longicuspis(Diptera: Psychodidae) in Tunisia

Abstract

Morphological and molecular characterization of Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perniciosus Newstead and Phlebotomus (L.) longicuspis Nitzulescu in Tunisia is reported. Different localities in central and southern Tunisia were sampled. Sand flies were collected by sticky-paper traps and Center for Disease Control traps. For morphological study of males, the copulatory valves (aedeagi) were examined and the number of coxite hairs was recorded. For molecular analysis, the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the cytochrome c oxidase I gene were sequenced to investigate the population structure of P. perniciosus and P. longicuspis. The majority of P. perniciosus samples from southern and some specimens from central Tunisia showed single-pointed aedeagi curved at their apicies that were indistinguishable from the P. longicuspis aedeagi and appeared similar to the atypical morph of P. perniciosus, previously described in northern Morocco. The current study gives evidence of a wide distribution of atypical morphs of P. perniciosus in southern and central Tunisia.

Molecular systematics applied to Phlebotomine sandflies: Review and perspectives

“…The subgenus Larroussius has been well explored by inclusion of Phlebotomus ariasi (Esseghir et al, 1997;Aransay et al, 2000;Di Muccio et al, 2000;Esseghir and Ready, 2000;Franco et al, 2010;Mahamdallie et al, 2010;Bounamous et al, 2014), Phlebotomus betisi (Khadri et al, 2008), Phlebotomus chadlii (Franco et al, 2010;Bounamous et al, 2014), Phlebotomus keshishiani (Kruger et al, 2011), Phlebotomus langeroni (Booth et al, 1991;Esseghir and Ready, 2000), Phlebotomus longicuspis (Di Muccio et al, 2000;Esseghir and Ready, 2000;Pesson et al, 2004;Depaquit et al, 2005a;Boudabous et al, 2012;Bounamous et al, 2014), Phlebotomus major group (Depaquit et al, , 1999Aransay et al, 2000;Di Muccio et al, 2000;Esseghir and Ready, 2000;Absavaran et al, 2009;Parvizi et al, 2010a;Kruger et al, 2011;Latrofa et al, 2011a,b;Kasap et al, 2013), Phlebotomus orientalis (Esseghir and Ready, 2000;Seblova et al, 2013), Phlebotomus perfiliewi s. l. (Booth et al, 1991;Esseghir et al, 1997;Aransay et al, 2000;Di Muccio et al, 2000;Esseghir and Ready, 2000;Parvizi et al, 2010a;Kruger et al, 2011;Latrofa et al, 2011a,b;…”

Identification of Algerian Field-Caught Phlebotomine Sand Fly Vectors by MALDI-TOF MS

“…longicuspis are widely distributed and sympatric in some foci, especially in the northern and central parts of the country [ 27 ]. Recently, Pesson et al [ 53 ] and Boudabous et al [ 54 ] in Morocco and Tunisia, respectively, reported a widely distribution of atypical morphs of P . perniciosus presenting single-pointed aedeagi curved at their apicies that were indistinguishable from the P .…”

“…longicuspis specimens, revealing the presence of uniquely typical morphs P . perniciosus as previously described in Tunisia [ 54 ]. Further studies with a representative number of specimens from different Algerian geographical areas could elucidate the distribution of typical and atypical forms of this sand fly species.…”

Spatial relations among environmental factors and phlebotomine sand fly populations (Diptera: Psychodidae) in central and southern Morocco

“…All male P. perniciosus collected showed atypical forms of copulatory valves. This atypical form of P. perniciosus (PNA) has been reported in northern (Pesson et al as well as in southern Morocco (Boussaa et al It was identified also in Tunisia (Ghrab et al Boudabous et al and probably in Algeria (Berchi et al Eight collected species ( S. dreyfussi, P. alexandri, P. bergeroti, S. christophersi, S. africana, P. chabaudi, P. chadlii , and P. kazeruni ) are not abundant (less than 2%) in our study area and we could not determine their distribution. For the abundant species ( S. minuta, S. fallax, P. perniciosus, P. papatasi, P. sergenti, P. longicuspis , and P. ariasi ), the geographical distribution was presented according to some environmental variables (Figure ).…”

“…This atypical form of P. perniciosus (PNA) has been reported in northern (Pesson et al 2004) as well as in southern Morocco . It was identified also in Tunisia (Ghrab et al 2006, Boudabous et al 2012 and probably in Algeria (Berchi et al 2007). Eight collected species (S. dreyfussi, P. alexandri, P. bergeroti, S. christophersi, S. africana, P. chabaudi, P. chadlii, and P. kazeruni) are not abundant (less than 2%) in our study area and we could not determine their distribution.…”