Abstract

CAZORLA-PERFETTI, Dalmiro  and  OVIEDO, Milagros. Ultrastructural aspects of immature stages of Micropygomyia (Sauromyia) trinidadensis (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae). Saber [online]. 2015, vol.27, n.2, pp.232-241. ISSN 1315-0162.

The classification systems of the subfamily Phlebotominae has been mainly based on morphological characters of adult stages, and mostly studied under light microscopy. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provides additional information for the identification of pre-imaginal and imaginal stages in phlebotomine sand flies classification systems. In the present study, outer ultramorphological characteristics of laboratory reared eggs, fourth instar larvae and puparium of Micropygomyia (Sauromyia) trinidadensis of Trujillo, Venezuelan Andes region, were identified and described. The ultramorphological study revealed a poligonal exo-chorionic sculpturing pattern of the eggs of M. trinidadensis, whereas the fourth instar larvae can be placed in Group 4 of the Neotropical phlebotomine which are characterized by antennae with a short basal segment and an ovoid distal segment; most of analysed puparium setae are short, smooth and spinniform, and the pre-alar ones long, thin and sharp. The importance of these ultrastructural findings to phlebotomine sandfly taxonomy and chaetotaxy system, is discussed.

Keywords : Sand flies; morphology; Insecta; Scanning Electron Microscopy.

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