Phlebotomine

The Phlebotominae are a subfamily of the family Psychodidae. In several countries, their common name is sandfly, but that name is also applied to other flies. The Phlebotominae include many genera of blood-feeding (hematophagous) flies, including the primary vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, and pappataci fever.

Sandflies are small; a body size of about 3 mm in length is typical for many species, which aids them in escaping notice. Their bite is not always felt, but leaves a small, round, reddish bump that starts itching hours or days later. Use of insect repellent is recommended in areas where sandflies are present.

Diet and reproduction

Phlebotomine sandflies have a diet that includes both blood and plant-derived sugar meals. Phlebotomine females, and only females, suck blood from various mammals, reptiles, and birds, while both sexes consume sugary substances including nectar, honeydew, and phloem sap from plants.

Some species are selective about their hosts, whereas others bite any suitable host they find. Some species can produce one clutch of eggs before their first blood meal; such females are said to practise autogenous or partly autogenous reproduction. Other species need a blood meal before they can produce any eggs at all; they are said to practise anautogenous reproduction. As far as is known, all species need a blood meal for every following clutch of eggs. Proteins and other nutrients in the blood they eat enable the females to produce the proteins and fats necessary for them to produce eggs after using up their bodily food stores. In feeding on blood, the flies use their mouthparts to initiate bleeding from the host. They then suck up the exposed blood. Like practically all blood-feeding parasites, they inject biochemicals that inhibit blood clotting, plus some that stimulate host mast cells to produce histamine; this distends capillary vessels, thereby promoting blood flow.

One blood meal can support the production of about 100 eggs. Females lay their eggs in humid soil rich in organic matter. Laboratory colonies of various phlebotomine sandfly species have been established for experimental study.

A 2018 study showed that several sandfly species in different parts of the world displayed a notable preference for ''Cannabis sativa'' as part of their plant-derived diet, suggesting it might be highly attractive to them.

Health concerns

As sandfly females suck blood from vertebrates, including humans, they can transmit leishmaniasis, arboviruses, and bartonellosis. In the New World, leishmaniasis is spread by sandflies in the genus ''Lutzomyia'', which commonly live in caves, where their main hosts are bats. In the Old World, sandflies in the genus ''Phlebotomus'' spread leishmaniasis.

Distribution

Phlebotomine sandflies can be found between the latitudes 50°N and 40°S, but are absent from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Genera

*'' Australophlebotomus'' Theodor, 1948
*'' Bichromomyia'' Artemiev, 1991
*'' Brumptomyia'' França & Parrot, 1921 (Mexico to South America)
*'' Chinius'' Leng, 1985 (2 species: China, Thailand)
*'' Dampfomyia'' Addis, 1945
*'' Datzia'' Stebner ''et al.''2015 (Burmese amber, Cenomanian)
*'' Deanemyia'' Galati, 1995
*'' Evandromyia'' Mangabeira, 1941
*'' Edentomyia'' Galati, Andrade-Filho, da Silva & Falcão, 2003 (Brazil)
*'' Expapillata'' Galati, 1995
*'' Hertigia'' Fairchild, 1949
*'' Idiophlebotomus'' Quate & Fairchild, 1961
*'' Libanophlebotomus'' Azar et al. 1999 Lebanese amber, Barremian
*''Lutzomyia'' França, 1924 (North and South America)
*'' Mandalayia'' Stebner ''et al.''2015 (Burmese amber, Cenomanian)
*'' Martinsmyia'' Galati, 1995
*'' Mesophlebotomites'' Azar et al. 1999 Lebanese amber, Barremian
*'' Micropygomyia'' Barretto, 1962
*'' Migonemyia'' Galati, 1995
*'' Nyssomyia'' Barretto, 1962
*'' Oligodontomyia'' Galati, 1995
*'' Palaeomyia'' Poinar 2004 Burmese amber, Albian
*'' Phlebotomites'' Stebner ''et al.''2015 Lebanese amber, Barremian, Burmese amber, Cenomanian
*'' Phlebotoiella'' Solórzano Kraemer and Wagner 2009 Cambay amber, India, Eocene
*''Phlebotomus'' Rondani, 1995 & Berté, 1840 (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia)
*'' Pintomyia'' Costa Lima, 1932
*'' Pressatia'' Mangabeira, 1942
* Protopsychodinae Stebner ''et al.''2015
*'' Protopsychoda'' Azar et al. 1999 Lebanese amber, Barremian
*'' Psathyromyia'' Barretto, 1962
*'' Psychodopygus'' Mangabeira, 1941
*'' Sciopemyia'' Barretto, 1962
*'' Sergentomyia'' França & Parrot, 1920 (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia)
*'' Trichophoromyia'' Barretto, 1962
*'' Viannamyia'' Mangabeira, 1941
*'' Warileya'' Hertig, 1948 (Central and South America)

Gallery: anatomy of Phlebotominae

File:Parasite170028-fig1 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Head
File:Parasite170028-fig2 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Head
File:Parasite170028-fig3 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Mouth parts
File:Parasite170028-fig4 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Mouth parts
File:Parasite170028-fig5 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Mouth parts
File:Parasite170028-fig6 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Mouth parts
File:Parasite170028-fig7 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Mouth parts
File:Parasite170028-fig8 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Mouth parts
File:Parasite170028-fig9 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png
File:Parasite170028-fig10 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Thorax
File:Parasite170028-fig11 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Thorax
File:Parasite170028-fig12 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Thorax
File:Parasite170028-fig13 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Thorax
File:Parasite170028-fig14 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Wing
File:Parasite170028-fig15 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Abdomen
File:Parasite170028-fig16 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Abdomen
File:Parasite170028-fig17 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Abdomen
File:Parasite170028-fig18 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig19 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig20 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig21 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig22 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig23 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig24 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig25 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig26 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig27 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia
File:Parasite170028-fig28 Illustrated guide of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae).png, Genitalia

See also

* Use of DNA in forensic entomology

References

External links

*
*

CIPA Computer-aided Identification of Phlebotomine sand flies of America


on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures website

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1416438

Psychodidae
Nematocera subfamilies
Extant Barremian first appearances