Panamanian Lutzomyia (Diptera: Psychodidae) host attraction profiles

A study was carried out for 50 weeks in a tropical forest near the Pacific Ocean entrance to the Panama Canal to observe the host preferences of Phlebotomine sand flies. Ten mineral oil traps were baited with caged animals in the groups Marsupialia, Chiroptera, Primates, Edentata, Rodentia, Carnivora, Aves, Reptilia, and Amphibia, and included 1 empty control cage. Lutzomyia vespertilionis showed a distinct perference for bats. The host selections of L. panamensis, L. olmeca bicolor and L. sanguinaria were not as distinctive, but mammals of the order Rodentia attracted the greatest number of these species. Host selections by the 4 sand fly species are discussed in relation to transmission of Leishmania and Trypanosoma species.