Abstract

MAY-UC, Emigdio; HERNANDEZ-ARANA, Héctor A.  and  REBOLLAR-TELLEZ, Eduardo A.. Distribution of phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2011, vol.27, n.2, pp.273-289. ISSN 2448-8445.

A faunistic study was carried out to gain insight into the distribution, species richness and abundance of sandflies in Quintana Roo, Mexico. There was a great intra- and interregional variability in mean species richness and abundance in Quintana Roo. The northern region appeared to have the highest species richness and abundance, followed by the central and southern regions, which exhibited an equal richness between them. Also, the central region showed the lowest sandfly abundance. Each region showed a rather distinctive dominant species composition, although two species, Lutzomyia shannoni and Lutzomyia cruciata, were among the most abundant in all three regions. In fact, some of the most abundant speciesare suspected vectors of leishmaniasis at the Yucatan Peninsula. Environmental factors prevailing in the state are thought to be the main factors mediating the differences in sandfly abundances in the different regions of Quintana Roo.

Keywords : Diptera; Psychodidae; Phlebotominae; Lutzomyia; Brumptomyia; distribution; Quintana Roo; leishmaniasis.