The colonization of Lutzomyia flaviscutellata (Diptera: Psychodidae), a vector of Leishmania mexicana amazonensis in Brazil

Abstract

A trap for the capture of live, fed Lutzomyia flaviscutellata (Mangabeira) is described. Females. caught in it the basis of a closed laboratory colony, whlch to date is in 9th generation; a total of 9732 adults have been produced. Larvae were fed on liver powder and yeast, and the average development time from egg to adult was 40,5 days. Adult females fed on hamsters took up to 4 blood meals and Iived from 17 to 41 days (average=27), while males survived from 2 to 12 days (average=5.9). Copulation occurred before, during,.or after feeding and was repeated between each gonotrophic cycle. More eggs were produced (average=37.5) when females were fed on hamsters than when fed on man and rice rats Oryzomys, and there was little ,variation in the number laid with successive gonotrophic cycles. Fungal contamination of rearing vessels caused considerable larval mortality, particularly of the 1st instars. Thus, the average number of adults reared from a single egg batch ranged from only 4,3 to 19 flies. The high laboratory survival rate of colonized Lu flasviscutellata facilitates studies on the development and transmission of Leishmania.