Neotropical Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), Invertebrate Hosts of Endotrypanum Schaudinni (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae)1

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Abstract
Trypanosomatid flagellates were recovered from 58 (81%) of 72 Panamanian sloths by using the biopsyculture technique; 21 (29%) of the animals were infected with Endotrypanum schaudinni to the exclusion of other trypanosomatids. Three species of laboratory-reared sand flies, Lutzomyia sanguinaria, L. gomezi and L. trapidoi , acquired E. schaudinni from the sloths during xenodiagnostic studies. Infections in the sand flies were verified in dissections from 1 to 23 days following acquisition feedings. The flagellates, all of which appeared to be promastigotes, were distributed from the cardia to the rectal ampula. Highest concentrations of flagellates were found consistently in the pylorus. Ovoid motile and nonmotile forms, attached to the gut wall, dominated the infections. Lesser numbers of elongated free-swimming forms were present in the gut lumen of most infected flies. Laboratory and field data indicate that several species of Lutzomyia are involved in the transmission cycle of this parasite.

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