Geometric morphometry of the head in sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), an alternative approach to taxonomy studies

Author(s)

Godoy, Rodrigo Espindola ^{[1, 2]} ; Fernandes Shimabukuro, Paloma Helena ^[3] ; Dos Santos, Thiago Vasconcelos ^[4] ; Costa Pessoa, Felipe Arley ^[5] ; Farias Lobato Da Cunha, Alda Eunice ^[6] ; Moura Santos, Fabricio Kassio ^[7] ; Vilela, Mauricio Luiz ^[2] ; Rangel, Elizabeth Ferreira ^[2] ; Bianchi Galati, Eunice Aparecida ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Saude Publ, Dept Epidemiol, BR-01246904 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fundacao Osvaldo Cruz, Inst Osvaldo Cruz, Lab Interdisciplinar Vigilancia Entomol Diptera &, Av Brasil 4365, BR-21040360 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[3] Fundacao Osvaldo Cruz, Inst Rene Rachou, Grp Estudos Leishmanioses, Colecao Flebotomineos FIOCRUZ COLFLEB, Av Augusto Lima 1715, BR-30190009 Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[4] Inst Evandro Chagas, Lab Leishmanioses, Rodovia BR 316, Km 7, BR-67030000 Ananindeua, PA - Brazil

^[5] Fundacao Osvaldo Cruz, Inst Leonidas & Maria Deane, Lab Ecol Doencas Transmissiveis Amazonia, Rua Teresina 476, BR-69057070 Manaus, Amazonas - Brazil

^[6] Secretaria Estadual Saude Rondonia, Lab Cent Saude Publ, R Anita Garibalde 4130, BR-76803620 Porto Velho, RO - Brazil

^[7] Secretaria Saude Estado Ceara, Lab Entomol Med Dr Thomaz Correa Aragao, Rua Tabajaras 268, BR-60060510 Fortaleza, Ceara - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zootaxa; v. 4504, n. 4, p. 566-576, OCT 26 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Almost 30% of female American sand flies are morphologically indistinguishable from one another. These females belong to species-complexes or groups with closely related species, making species-level identification difficult or even impossible. This fact has implications for public health since several of these groups include species which are vectors of human pathogens. Thus, new tools are needed to minimize species-level identification problems. In this context, our research sought to use geometric morphometry in the study of the head of females of closely related species of the genus Psychodopygus, Chagasi series, which includes the following species: P. chagasi, P. complexus, P. squamiventris maripaensis, P. squamiventris squamiventris, and P. wellcomei. We have used ten landmarks distributed on the head of these species. All species were clearly distinguished using the centroid size and shape together. These results highlight the head analysis as an effective tool for future geometric morphometry studies in sand flies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/02282-9 - Taxonomic study of sandflies of the genus Psychodopygus (Mangabeira, 1941) chagasi series (Barretto, 1962) through morphometric, morphological and barcoding analyzes
• Grantee: Rodrigo Espíndola Godoy
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate