Acoustic signals in the sand fly Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) intermedia (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Recordings were performed using insects from three localities from Eastern Brazil: Posse and Jacarepaguá in Rio de Janeiro State and Corte de Pedra in Bahia State. The three areas have remnants of the Brazilian Atlantic forest, they are endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis and L. intermedia is the predominant sand fly species. We observed that during courtship L. intermedia males from all populations produced pulse songs consisting of short trains. No significant differences in song parameters were observed between the males of the three localities.L. intermedia males produce acoustic signals as reported for some other sand flies such as the sibling species of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex. The lack of differences between the males from the three localities is consistent with previous molecular studies of the period gene carried out in the same populations, reinforcing the idea that L. intermedia is not a species complex in the studied areas and that the three populations are likely to have similar vectorial capacities.Understanding sexual behavior of insect vectors is important as it can be a possible target for disease control [1,2]. Acoustic signals in intraspecific communication of insects is frequently associated with mating [3,4] and they often act as species-specific signals either for long range attraction, e.g. crickets [5], or in close range recognition and stimulation, e.g. fruit flies [6].Many vector species also produce songs as part of their mating behavior [7-9]. In the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l., main vector of American visceral leishmaniasis, the male lovesong has proven to be a good marker to distinguish the Brazilian cryptic species of this complex [10-12]. Songs have also been reported from two other Neotropical sand fly species: Lutzomyia cruzi and Lutzomyia migonei [13,14].Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) intermedia, or Nyssomyia intermedia [15], is one of the main vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil [16]. Two other species very close