Lutzomyia derelicta (Diptera: Psychodidae) a Singular New Phlebotomine Sand Fly from an Inselberg in Northeastern Amazonia
Vol. 94(5): 629-633
Rui A Freitas, Toby V Barrett+
Coordenação de Pesquisas em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Caixa Postal 478, 69011-970 Manaus, AM, Brasil
Lutzomyia derelicta n. sp. is described from specimens collected in an isolated xeric habitat in the rainforest in the north of the State of Pará, Brazil. The new species lacks the posterior bulge in the dorsal wall of the cibarium characteristic of the New World genus Lutzomyia, and the armature of the male genitalia is of the pattern found elsewhere only in the Old World species of Sergentomyia. L. derelicta is phenetically intermediate between the known species of Lutzomyia and Sergentomyia, and cannot readily be placed in any existing subgenus or species group of either genus.
Key words: Phlebotominae - new species - biogeography - Amazônia
Although the phlebotomine genera Phlebotomus, Sergentomyia and Lutzomyia are inadequately defined (Ashford 1991) in practice most of the included species can be assigned to characteristic subgenera or species-groups, and the generic attribution of a new species is usually not a problem. Furthermore, the currently standard system of classification is based on the premise that "There is little doubt that the species of the Old and New World are not closely related..... Differences for use in keys are unnecessary in pratice" (Lewis et al. 1977). In this paper we describe a new American phlebotomine whose morphological affinites call this premise into question.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To Artêmio Coêlho da Silva for the figures. To Dr João Carlos Henriques and his team at Mineração Rio do Norte SA for logistic support in Porto Trombetas. To Mr Laureano Viana for safely negotiating the rapids. To Dr Laurence Quate for specimens of Old World Phlebotominae.
Work supported by Inpa-PPI and the Pilot Programme for Protection of Brazilian Rainforests/MCT-Sub-programa C&T/PPD G-7.
+Corresponding author. Fax: +55 92 643-3061. E-mail: tbarrett@inpa.gov.br
Received 8 April 1999
Accepted 7 June 1999
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