Sub-additive effect of conspecific eggs and frass on oviposition rate of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Phlebotomus papatasi

Abstract

Oviposition behavior is a fairly neglected aspect in our understanding of the biology of sand flies. In this study, we used a comparative approach using both new-and old-world species (Lutzomyia longipalpis and Phlebotomus papatasi) in choice and no-choice oviposition chambers to evaluate the effect of old sand fly colony remains (frass), conspecific eggs, and their combination on oviposition rates of these sand flies. We also tested the effect of egg washing with de-ionized water on oviposition rates. In both choice and no-choice experiments, sand fly species laid more eggs on a substrate containing frass. The effect of eggs alone was not significant but showed a positive trend. Furthermore, for both sand fly species, the effect of the combined treatment was sub-additive suggesting a potential inhibitory effect of one factor on the other. Egg washing did not have a significant effect. The choice and no-choice experimental designs did not differ in their outcomes suggesting the choice-design could serve as an effective high throughput method for screening oviposition attractants/stimulants. Journal of Vector Ecology 36 (Supplement 1): S138-S143. 2011.

Attraction and oviposition preferences of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae), vector of Old-World cutaneous leishmaniasis, to larval rearing media

“…Thus, sand flies laid most of their egg clutch once they became physiologically capable of doing so (72–96 h post blood-meal) and then laid additional 1.8 eggs (per capita) approximately every 24 h. Schlein et al [ 41 ] did not observe a sudden increase in oviposition at a particular day but they did observe continuously increasing cumulative egg number between days 7 and 14 post blood-meal. Per-capita egg deposition observed in our study (13.25 per female) is lower than the 15–20 eggs-per-female previously reported by Wasserberg and Rowton [ 28 ] or the 33.44 eggs-per-female observed by T. Rowland (personal observations) for individually-reared Ph. papatasi .…”

“…Phlebotomus papatasi , the main vector of Old-World cutaneous leishmaniasis (due to Leishmania major ), is distributed from Morocco to the Indian subcontinent and from southern Europe to central and eastern Africa [ 3 , 4 , 27 ]. It was shown to lay more eggs on substrates containing conspecific eggs [ 28 , 29 ] or organic matter of various sources [ 29 , 30 ]. For example, Wasserberg and Rowton [ 28 ] compared the relative effectiveness of conspecific eggs and organic matter (frass extract) and found frass to be a much more potent oviposition stimulant than eggs; they also found that the combination of eggs and frass was not more effective than frass alone.…”

“…It was shown to lay more eggs on substrates containing conspecific eggs [ 28 , 29 ] or organic matter of various sources [ 29 , 30 ]. For example, Wasserberg and Rowton [ 28 ] compared the relative effectiveness of conspecific eggs and organic matter (frass extract) and found frass to be a much more potent oviposition stimulant than eggs; they also found that the combination of eggs and frass was not more effective than frass alone. Schein et al [ 30 ] showed in the field that cow manure is highly attractive to gravid and non-gravid Ph.…”

“…Because larval sand flies are coprophagic [ 1 , 3 , 12 ], we hypothesized that gravid sand flies are attracted to chemical cues associated with the decomposition of organic matter of (predominantly) fecal origin as indicators of suitable oviposition sites. Specifically, given our previous observation that larval rearing substrate is substantially more effective than conspecific eggs in inducing egg deposition [ 28 ], our goal in this study was to compare the attraction and oviposition response of gravid Ph. papatasi females among rearing substrates of pre-larval, larval, and post-larval stages in order to identify the most attractive and oviposition-stimulating source material.…”

Oviposition behaviour of Phlebotomus argentipes - A laboratory-based study

“…longipalpis preferred sites for oviposition that contain frass or rabbit faeces, which act as its larval rearing medium. More recently, Wasserberg and Rowton (2011) demonstrated that in choice and no-choice oviposition chambers, the effect of old sandfly colony remains (frass), conspecific eggs and their combination affected the oviposition rates of sandflies (Peterkova-Koci et al 2012). The present study will contribute to the development of a methodology for the maintenance of sandfly colonies, which is a major challenge for scientists working on different biological aspects of sandflies.…”