Integrative Taxonomy of Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) from the State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 23/03715-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Eunice Aparecida Bianchi Galati
• Grantee: Eunice Aparecida Bianchi Galati
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alessandra Gutierrez de Oliveira ; Andréia Fernandes Brilhante ; Fredy Galvis Ovallos

Abstract

Sand flies inhabit forests, caves and anthropic environments and are cosmopolitan. They have a great diversity of species (ca. 1,060), and many of them are implicated in the transmission of several pathogens that cause arboviruses, bartonellosis and leishmaniasis, the latter being serious public health problems in tropical and subtropical countries. Researchers from the state of São Paulo, still in the beginning of the 20th century, in their studies to identify species associated with the transmission of leishmaniasis, were the pioneers in the study of the diversity of the sand fly fauna. However, despite this long history, there are still gaps in the knowledge of the sand fly taxonomy, largely based on morphological studies of adult life stages. An innovative alternative in the knowledge of the diversity of this group is the integrative taxonomy approach, associating the morphological traits, with genome sequences, and characteristics of the immature cycle of species. Therefore, this project aims to generate evidences for the species delimitation of sand flies in the State of São Paulo, and other areas where they occur, in order to propose a protocol for taxonomic studies to better understand the biodiversity of this group, contributing to the training of taxonomists. It also intends to investigate the population genetics of the main vector species of Leishmania protozoan. In the morphological approach, all phases of the evolutionary cycle will be addressed. For the study of developmental cycles, culture will be carried out in the laboratory for observation and description of the biology of the immatures. Regarding the molecular approach, sequences of mtDNA markers will be obtained, such as those of the fragments of the genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4), in addition to the internal spacer of rDNA transcripts (ITS2), and the gene of rDNA 28S. The information obtained will be associated and a protocol generated for the application of the integrative taxonomy approach for the correct delimitation of the studied taxa. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RODRIGUES, BRUNO LEITE; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA GUTIERREZ; DA SILVA, LEONARDO ESTEVAM HONORATO; DOS SANTOS, THIAGO VASCONCELOS; DE OLIVEIRA, LIDIANE DE NAZARE CARVALHO; REGO, FELIPE DUTRA; DE ANDRADE, ANDREY JOSE; MAIA, GLEDSON BANDEIRA; PINTO, ISRAEL DE SOUZA; ANDRADE FILHO, JOSE DILERMANDO; et al. Hidden diversity in anthropophilic sand flies of the Monticola Series (Diptera, Psychodidae) (vol 14, 27215, 2024). SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 1-pg., 2024-12-09. (23/03715-2)

RODRIGUES, BRUNO LEITE; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA GUTIERREZ; HONORATO DA SILVA, LEONARDO ESTEVAM; DOS SANTOS, THIAGO VASCONCELOS; CARVALHO DE OLIVEIRA, LIDIANE DE NAZARE; REGO, FELIPE DUTRA; DE ANDRADE, ANDREY JOSE; MAIA, GLEDSON BANDEIRA; DE SOUZA PINTO, ISRAEL; ANDRADE FILHO, JOSE DILERMANDO; et al. Hidden diversity in anthropophilic sand flies of the Monticola Series (Diptera, Psychodidae). SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 17-pg., 2024-11-08. (23/03715-2)