Molecular validation of anthropophilic phlebotominae sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in central panama.

Abstract

Six Phlebotominae sand fly species are incriminated as biological vectors of human pathogens in Panama, but molecular validation is still needed. We aim at validating the identity of Phlebotominae species documented as anthropophilic (e.g., man-biters) in Panama. Adult sandflies were collected from August 2010 to February 2012 in the lowland tropical rainforest of central Panama using CDC light traps. Species confirmation was accomplished through molecular barcodes and allied sequences from GenBank. A total of 53,366 sand fly specimens representing 17 species were collected. Five species were validated molecularly as single phylogenetic clusters, but Psychodopygus thula depicted two genetically divergent lineages, which may be indicative of cryptic speciation. The molecular validation of Psychodopygus thula as a putative species complex remains provisional, and merits further appraisal with additional molecular markers plus more samples from across the entire country.