title: Colonization of Phlebotomus neglectus (Diptera: Psychodidae), the major vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Greece.
abstract: Colonization of Phlebotomus neglectus Tonnoir, the major vector of visceral leishmaniasis, in Greece is reported for the first time. Starting with wild-caught specimens, a small closed colony was established that was maintained for 17 mo or 10 generations. Gonotrophic discordance, stenogamic mating behavior, low fecundity, and dormancy because of low temperature were the most important findings that characterized the colony.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographic Medicine, Division of Medicine, University of Crete, Iraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chaniotis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spyridaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scoulika
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antoniou
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000635:transmission*; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000502:physiology