Bionomics of Phlebotomine Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in and around Dhamar City, Yemen

The association between phlebotomine sandflies and their ecology was investigated in and around Dhamar City, Yemen. Species diversity, temporal and geographic distribution of the sandflies were studied. CDC and Sticky traps biweekly collected Sandflies from six districts/ sites representing different altitudes of Dhamar city and round districts. Sandflies were identified morphologically based on male and female genitalia and Pharynx(cibarium). Out of 1007 sandflies captured during the study period, 631 (62.7%) were males and 376 (37.3%) females. The sex ratio was 1.7:1. The species identified and their relative abundance were Phlebotomus arabicus (44.09%), P. alexandri (35.15%) and P. sergenti (20.75%). Significant differences (P < 0.05) existed between species and their relative abundance. Maximum diversity of sandflies was observed at high altitudes (Simpson index 1-D = 2.9; Shannon index, H = 1.06); whereas the minimum at low altitudes (1-D = 2.7; H = 1.04). Based on the single trap collection of flies, CDC traps were more efficient (P = 0.000) in capturing sandflies compared to sticky traps. The seasonal activity of sandfly species researched the peak in July (r = 0.869; P < 0.01) and declined to lower level in December. A positive correlation was observed between number of sandflies captured and temperature (r = 0.105; P < 0.05). In conclusion, sandflies are prevalent in study areas. The study provides useful data on the spatiotemporal distribution, abundance and diversity of sandfly species in Dhamar city and around districts. A combination of ecological and topographical factors influences the distribution and abundance of sandflies in different areas of Dhamar. The findings of this study could be useful as a predictor for occurring of leishmaniasis among people in study areas and for designing a control program for sandflies. Further entomological studies on epidemiology of sandfly and its disease transmission should be carried out regularly in different regions the country. © 2024 Friends Science Publishers