A taxonomic study of Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perfiliewi s. l

•We study an important vector of Leishmania infantum.•We do a molecular and morphological characterization.•The status of different populations within Phlebotomus perfiliewi is discussed. Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perfiliewi is one of the main vectors of Leishmania infantum in the Mediterranean basin and in Central Asia. Its taxonomic status remains doubtful. It usually includes three taxa of specific or subspecific value, depending on the authors: P. perfiliewiParrot, 1930 s. st. in North Africa, Western Europe and the Balkans, Crimea; Phlebotomus galilaeusTheodor, 1958 in Israel/Palestine and Cyprus and Phlebotomus transcaucasicusPerfiliev, 1937 in Caucasus and Central Asia. While the identification of the females of P. perfiliewi s. l. is relatively easy, based on the particular morphology of their spermathecal ducts, the specific identification of the females of Phlebotomus perfiliewi perfiliewi, Phlebotomus perfiliewi galilaeus and Phlebotomus perfiliewi transcaucasicus is impossible. The differentiation of males, based mainly on characters on aedeagus, is also difficult. The goal of the present study is to carry out a taxonomic update based on a morphological study of specimens coming from various populations from Asia, Europe and North Africa coupled with their molecular analysis.