Experimental comparison of anthropophily between geographically dispersed populations ofLutzomyia whitmani(Diptera: Psychodidae)

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Abstract
Summary: Lutzomyia whitmani, a major vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil, occupies diverse habitats from the Amazon forest canopy to suburban animal pens. Three mitochondrial lineages ofLu. whitmani(‘Amazonian’, ‘North–South’ and ‘North‐east’) have parapatric distributions coinciding with different ecological zones. We assessed the host preferences of populations representing the three lineages in standardized field experiments, and found thatLu. whitmaniin all sites were significantly more attracted to humans than to dogs or chickens. Females from a southerly population of the North–South lineage showed the greatest degree of anthropophily.Lu. whitmanifrom Amazonia were also strongly attracted to human baits, contradicting previously published accounts. Intraspecific comparisons in non‐Amazonian sites suggest thatLu. whitmaniis less anthropophilic thanLu. intermediabut more so thanLu. longipalpis. No significant difference was detected in anthropophily betweenLu. whitmaniin the Amazon and eitherLu. dendrophylaorLu. gomezi. Anthropophilic behaviour was demonstrated in the same site forLu. complexa,Lu. flaviscutellataandLu. brachyphalla, but not forLu. infraspinosa.

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