Phlebotominae are the vectors of Leishmania parasites. It is important to have available surveillance and collection methods for the sand fly vectors. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate and compare traps for the collection of sand fly species and to analyze trap catches along months and transects. Field evaluations over a year were conducted in an endemic area of leishmaniasis in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. A randomized-block design was implemented in study area with tropical rainforest vegetation. The study design utilized 4 transects with 11 trap types: 1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light trap with incandescent bulb (CDC-I), 2) CDC light trap with blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (CDC-B), 3) CDC light trap with white LEDs (CDC-W), 4) CDC light trap with red LEDs (CDC-R), 5) CDC light trap with green LEDs (CDC-G), 6) Disney trap, 7) Disney trap with white LEDs, 8) sticky panels, 9) sticky panels with white LEDs, 10) delta-like trap, and 11) delta-...

Leishmaniases are a group of important diseases transmitted to humans through the bite of sandfly vectors. Several forms of leishmaniases are endemic in Mexico and especially in the Southeast region. In the Northeastern region, however, there have only been isolated reports of cases and scanty records of sandfly vectors. The main objective of this study was to analyze the diversity of sandflies and potential reservoir hosts of Leishmania spp. in the states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. Species richness and abundances of sandflies and rodents were recorded. A fraction of the caught sandflies was analyzed by PCR to detect Leishmania spp. Tissues from captured rodents were also screened for infection. Ecological Niche Models (ENMs) were computed for species of rodent and their association with crop-growing areas. We found 13 species of sandflies, several of which are first records for this region. Medically important species such as Lutzomyia anthophora, Lutzomyia diabolica, Lutzomyia cruciata, and Lutzomyia shannoni were documented. Leishmania spp. infection was not detected in sandflies. Nine species of rodents were recorded, and Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana infection was found in four species of Peromyscus and Sigmodon. ENMs showed that potential distribution of rodent pest species overlaps with allocated crop areas. This shows that Leishmania (L.) mexicana infection is present in the Northeastern region of Mexico, and that previously unrecorded sandfly species occur in the same areas. These findings suggest a potential risk of transmission of Leishmania (L.) mexicana. Les leishmanioses sont un groupe de maladies importantes transmises aux humains par piqûre des phlébotomes vecteurs. Plusieurs formes de leishmanioses sont endémiques au Mexique, surtout dans la région du sud-est. Dans la région du nord-est, cependant, il n’y a eu que des rapports isolés de cas et quelques signalements de phlébotomes. L’objectif principal de cette étude était d’analyser la diversité des phlébotomes et des hôtes-réservoirs potentiels de Leishmania spp. dans les états de Nuevo León et Tamaulipas. La richesse en espèces et l’abondance des phlébotomes et des rongeurs ont été étudiées. Une fraction des phlébotomes capturés a été analysée par PCR pour détecter les Leishmania spp. Les tissus des rongeurs capturés ont également été criblés pour détecter une infection. Les modèles de niches écologiques (ENM) ont été calculés pour les espèces de rongeurs et leur association avec les zones cultivées. Nous avons trouvé treize espèces de phlébotomes, dont plusieurs sont des premières mentions pour cette région. Des espèces médicalement importantes telles que Lutzomyia anthophora, Lutzomyia diabolica, Lutzomyia cruciata et Lutzomyia shannoni ont été documentées. L’infection par Leishmania spp. n’a pas été détectée chez les phlébotomes. Neuf espèces de rongeurs ont été collectées, et une infection par Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana a été trouvée chez quatre espèces de Peromyscus et Sigmodon. L’ENM a montré que la répartition potentielle des espèces de rongeurs chevauche les zones allouées aux cultures. Cela montre que l’infection à Leishmania (L.) mexicana est présente dans la région nord-est du Mexique et que des espèces de phlébotomes précédemment non mentionnées se trouvent dans les mêmes zones. Ces résultats suggèrent un risque potentiel de transmission de Leishmania (L.) mexicana.

Based on historical and recent records, an updated list of 244 nominal species and three undescribed mosquitoes from Mexico is presented. Since 1990, 15 species have been recorded for the first time in Mexico: Aedes guatemala, Ae. brelandi, Ae. insolitus, Ae. melanimon, Ae. albopictus, Culex daumastocampa, Cx. metempsytus, Cx. erethyzonfer, Culiseta melanura, Limatus asulleptus, Sabethes gymnothorax, Trichoprosopon pallidiventer, Toxorhynchites moctezuma, Uranotaenia socialis, and Wyeomyia chalcocephala. Five species were discovered and described: Ae. amaterui, Ae. lewnielseni, Cx. diamphidius, Shannoniana huasteca, and Tr. mixtli. Three species were discovered without yet describing or naming them: Ae. (Protomacleaya) sp. 1, Ae. (Ochlerotatus) sp. 2, and Wyeomyia sp. 3. Five species had been removed from the Mexican mosquito fauna: Ae. stigmaticus, Cx. imitator, Onirion personatum, Sa. tarsopus, and Tx. theobaldi. With the intention of updating the checklist of the mosquito species in Mexico, historical and recent species records were reviewed, as well as the review of entomological collections, resulting in the confirmation of the presence in Mexico of Ae. thelcter, Cs. impatiens, and Orthopodomyia alba. Morphological and molecular evidence confirms the presence of Wy. jocosa, while Anopheles atropos, Psorophora confinnis, Cx. jenningsi, Mansonia indubitans, Tr. pallidiventer, and Tr. soaresi are removed from the Mexican mosquito fauna.

Leishmaniasis, a vector‐borne disease transmitted to humans through the bite of phlebotomine sand flies, is of public health significance in southeastern Mexico. Active and continuous monitoring of vectors is an important aspect of disease control for the prediction of potential outbreaks. Thus, the correct identification of vectors is paramount in this regard. In this study, we employed DNA barcoding as a tool for identifying phlebotomine sand flies collected in localized cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic areas of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Specimens were collected using CDC light and Shannon traps as part of the Mexican Ministry of Health surveillance program. DNA extraction was carried out using a nondestructive protocol, and morphological identification based on taxonomic keys was conducted on slide‐mounted specimens. Molecular taxonomic resolution using the 658‐bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was 100% congruent with the morphological identification. Seven species were identified:Lutzomyia cruciata(Coquillett 1907),Lutzomyia longipalpis(Lutz & Neiva 1912),Psathyromyia shannoni(Dyar 1929),Dampfomyia deleoni(Fairchild & Hertig 1947),Dampfomyia beltrani/steatopyga(Vargas & Díaz‐Nájera 1951),Bichromomyia olmeca olmeca(Vargas & Díaz‐Nájera, 1959), andBrumptomyia mesai(Sherlock 1962). Mean intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.12% to 1.22%, while interspecific distances ranged from 11.59% to 19.29%. Neighbor‐joining (NJ) analysis using the Kimura 2‐parameter model also showed specimens of the same species to be clustered together. The study provides the firstcox1sequences for three species of sand flies and indicates the utility of DNA barcoding for phlebotomine sand flies species identification in southeastern Mexico.