ALGUMAS OBSERVAÇÕES SÔBRE BIOLOGIA DE FLEBÔTOMOS (Diptera, Psychodidae) EM REGIÃO DA BACIA DO RIO PARANÁ (BRASIL)

Abstract

In this work the author gives bis observations on the biology of sandflies (Phlebotomus) under natural conditions. This work was carried on from the end of 1950 up to the beginning of October 1953. The work was carried on a region comprising parts of the States of S. Paulo, Paraná and Mato Grosso were the existence of endemic South American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis was verified. The first part has a summary of the region studied and a general note of processes used in the studies of sandflies. In the second part studies some aspects related to the natural breeding places, habitat, domiciliary aspects and adult seasonal incidence. The work ends with notes on the more frequent species found and their distribution as well as a list of the less frequent species. The author makes a brief study of sandflies naturally infected with leptomonads. Based on the above mentioned observations, the following conclusions we were arrived at: 1 - During the space o f time elapsed · between the end of 1950 to the heginning of October 1953, severa) collections were made in localities scattered in a region formed by 15 townships in the States of São Paulo, Paraná, and Mato Grosso. Such collections resulted in a total of 35.753 sandflies (Phlebotomus). These captures made at different localities in the region, gave, in the author's opinion, an approximated idea of the distribution of species during that period of time. 2 - A total of 11 species was found and determined as: P. avellari Costa Lima, 1932, P. brumpti Larousse, 1920, P. cunhai Mangabeira, 1942, P. fischeri Pinto, 1926, P. intermedius Lutz e Neiva, 1912, P. migonei França, 1920, P. monticolus Costa Lima, 1932, P. pessoai Coutinho e Barretto, 1940, P. pestanai Barretto e Coutinho, 1941, P. shannoni Dyar, 1929, P. whitmani Antunes e Coutinho, 1939. P. avellari, P. brumpti, and P. cunhai is for the first time found in the State of Paraná, and P. pessoai in the State of Mato Grosso. 3 - Research to local breeding places resulted in finding the possible sylvan breeding places of P. intermedius and P. pessoai as well as peri-domestic breeding places of P. intermedius. Only future research can show if this is a normal or an · accidental breeding place of this species. 4 - The Phlebotomus, during the resting period stay in natural shelters in the forest which can be of severa! types. They can frequent human habitations and dependencies. This fact is more evident when the houses are nearer the forests. 5 - Besides many known and some unknown factors that interfere with the variation of Phlebotomus incidence, seasonal influence is important. In captures made with Shannon's light trap from October 1951 to October 1953 ( first days), in the region o f Martilândia and neighbourhood the author has the impression that in general way, the incidence is greater in the hot and humid months (December-February) than in the cold and dry (june August) ones. 6 - P. intermedius was the most frequent species comprising 63,39% of the total. The most numerous species after the above one and in decreasing order were P. whitmani, P. pessoai, P. fischeri and P. migonei. 7 - The occurrence of P. intermedius in captures has suffered a decrease as to the last onde made in 1953, giving place to an increase of P. whitmani, P. pessoai, P. fischeri and P. migonei. The explanation of this fact is not possible at present. Only with systematic captures for several years, this varíation míght be explaíned. 8 - In the region and time of these studíes, the author believes that ít would be possible to atribute to Phlebotomus intermedius an important role in the transmission of Leishmania braziliensis, maínly because of íts densíty and to it being found naturally infected by leptomonads (Forattini and Santos,1952).