How to increase the population of a Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae) colony: a new method.
The sandfly Phlebotomus perniciosus is the most widespread vector of Leishmania infantum in Spain. Laboratory colonisation represents the most feasible source of information on the biology of these insects, but in conducting any study, the density of individuals in the colony may drop to such an extent that it is sometimes difficult to recover the initial population levels. A new technique was tested for the recovery of sandfly eggs in three different colonies; the recovery rate was studied by comparing the standard method of mass rearing with this new method of colony management. The results demonstrate a mean increase of 18.4% in adult production, a growth in colony productivity that justifies the inclusion of this process in the routine maintenance of any colony of sandflies.
Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. pedro.alarcon@uv.es
Pedro María
PM
Alarcón-Elbal
Begoña García
BG
Montoliu
Rocío
R
Pinal
Sarah
S
Delacour-Estrella
Ignacio
I
Ruiz-Arrondo
Miguel Ángel
MÁ
Peribáñez
Ignacio
I
De Blas
Ricardo
R
Molina
Juan Antonio
JA
Castillo
Lorenzo
L
Diéguez-Fernández
Javier
J
Lucientes
D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000254:growth & development*; D018314:Leishmania infantum; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000254:growth & development*; D011156:Population Density; D013030:Spain