A B O U T THE EASTERN LIMIT OF DISTRIBUTION OF PHLEBOTOMUS ARIASI (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE)

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A B O U T THE EASTERN LIMIT OF DISTRIBUTION OF PHLEBOTOMUS ARIASI (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE)

S u m m a r y :

The note reports the data of a sandfly investigation carried out in the provinces of Liguria region (Italy) during the sandfly season of

1995. A total of 2 , 2 1 6 sandflies was collected in the four provinces during 3 months. The following species were identified:

P. pernicious (31.8 % ) , P. ariasi (0.8 %) and Sergentomyia minuta (67.4 %). P. perniciosus, the proven vector of visceral

leishmaniasis in Italy was present in all the positive sites sampled.

On the contrary, P. ariasi was collected only in the provinces of Imperia and Savona. The eastern geographical distribution of P. ariosi is discussed.

KEY WORDS : Phlebotomus ariasi, distribution, Italy.

Résumé :

OBSERVATIONS SUR LA RÉPARTITION GÉOGRAPHIQUE ORIENTALE DE PHLEBOTOMUS ARIASI (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) Cette note fait part des résultats des enquêtes entomologiques menées en 1995 dans les provinces de la région de Ligurie (Italie) pendant la période d'activité des phlébotomes. Un total de 2 216 phlébotomes a été récolté dans quatre provinces en l'espace de 3 mois. Les espèces suivantes ont été identifiées : Phlebotomus perniciosus ( 3 1 , 8 %), P. ariasi (0,8 %) et Sergentomyia minuta (67,4 %). P. perniciosus, vecteur de leishmaniose viscérale en Italie, a été récolté dans toutes les stations positives. Au contraire, P. ariasi a été capturé seulement dans les provinces d'Imperia et de Savona. La répartition géographique orientale de P. ariasi fait l'objet d'une discussion.

MOTS CLÉS : Phlebotomus ariasi, distribution, Italie.

INTRODUCTION

T

h e geographical distribution o f Phlebotomus ariasi Tonnoir, 1921 is restricted to the W e s - tern Mediterranean areas o f E u r o p e and North Africa, as r e w i e v e d by Lewis ( 1 9 8 2 ) . Up to n o w , this s p e c i e s has b e e n found chronologically in the following countries: Spain ( T o n n o i r , 1 9 2 1 ) , France (Nitzu- lescu, 1 9 3 0 ) , Algeria (Parrot, 1 9 3 6 ) , M o r o c c o ( G a u d , 1 9 4 7 ) , Portugal (Meira & Ferreira, 1 9 4 4 ) , Italy (Rioux et ai, 1 9 6 4 ) and Tunisia (Croset et ai, 1 9 6 6 ) . C o n c e r n i n g the distribution in Italy, after the first report o f R i o u x et al. ( 1 9 6 4 ) , P. ariasi has b e e n reported only in two regions, namely Liguria and Pied- mont ( B i o c c a et al., 1 9 7 7 ) ; its p r e s e n c e in Sicily and Sardinia w a s hypothesized b y Rioux & Golvan ( 1 9 6 9 ) . T h e present note reports the data o f a sandfly investigation carried out in the provinces o f Liguria region during the sandfly s e a s o n ( J u n e - O c t o b e r ) o f 1 9 9 5 . Moreover, in order to verify the hypothesis o f Rioux

* Department of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanià, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.

** Museo Civico di Storia Naturale « Giacomo Doria » Genoa, Italy.

Correspondence: Michele Maroli

Tel : ++39 6 49902302 - Fax: ++39 6 49 38 70 65 e-mail: [email protected]

& G o l v a n ( 1 9 6 9 ) a b o u t the p r o b a b l e p r e s e n c e o f P. ariasi in Sicily and Sardinia, previous entomological surveys carried out by various authors in the two islands during the last 20 years are reviewed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

T

h e m e t h o d used for collecting adult p h l e b o t o - mine sandflies was the sticky traps (Rioux et ai, 1967). This method was c h o s e n for the sim- plicity and also b e c a u s e it is the most suitable to search resting sites in wide areas. Sheets o f 20 x 20 cm, s m e a r e d with castor oil, w e r e placed in all possible sandfly resting sites.

T h e survey was carried out in the provinces o f Liguria region, namely Imperia, Savona, G e n o a and La Spezia.

33 collecting stations w e r e c h o s e n along itineraries stretching over a wide range o f habitats (rural, urban and peri-urban sites). Holes and cracks in rocks and walls, buttress crevices, stables and other domestic environments w e r e investigated for the p r e s e n c e o f sandflies. Collections w e r e carried out during a period o f three month ( J u n e - O c t o b e r 1 9 9 5 ) .

All sandflies w e r e subsequently identified according to keys o f T h e o d o r ( 1 9 5 8 ) . Previous data (localities) on geographical distribution o f P. ariasi in Italy w e r e MAROLI M.*, P O N T U A L E G.*, K H O U R Y С.*, FRUSTERI L.* & RAINERI V.**

Article available athttp://www.parasite-journal.orgorhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1051/parasite/1997044377

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M A R O L I M . , P U N T U A L E G . , K H O U R Y C, F R U S T E R T L. & R A I N E R I V .

r e v i e w e d from studies carried out b y R i o u x et al., in 1 9 6 4 a n d b y the late Pr. A. Coluzzi during the p e r i o d 1 9 6 8 - 7 3 ( s e e a l s o B i o c c a et al., 1 9 7 7 ) .

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A

total o f 2 , 2 1 6 sandflies w a s c o l l e c t e d in the four p r o v i n c e s o f Liguria region during the all p e r i o d o f c o l l e c t i o n s . T h e following s p e c i e s

w e r e identified: P. perniciosus ( 3 1 . 8 % ) , P. ariasi ( 0 . 8 % ) a n d Sergentomyia minuta (67.4 %).

T a b l e I reports for e a c h station t h e n u m b e r o f s p e c i m e n s a n d their p e r c e n t a g e s in e a c h s p e c i e s . P. perni- ciosus, the p r o v e n v e c t o r o f visceral l e i s h m a n i a s i s in Italy (Bettini et al, 1 9 8 6 ; Maroli et al, 1 9 9 4 ) , w a s pre

s e n t in all the positive sites s a m p l e d . O n the contrary, P. ariasi w a s c o l l e c t e d only in the p r o v i n c e s o f Imperia a n d S a v o n a , in t h e c o m m u n e s o f D i a n o C a s t e l l o [S. S e b a s t i a n o ( 0 . 9 % ) a n d M a d o n n a d e l l e N e v e

N. Locality C o m m u n e s S p e c i m e n s % males % P. pemiciosus % P. ariasi % 5. minuta

Imperia p r o v i n c e

1 S. Sebastiano Diano Castello 613 64.8 70.9 0.9 28.2

2 Madonna Neve Diano Castello

61

^85.2 ^62.2 ^8.1 ^29.7

3 Matteotti Diano Castello 2 100 50.0 — 50.0

I Diano Gorleri Diano Marina 7 100 100 ^— —

5 Dei Francesi Imperia 371 67.1 12.9 — 87.1

6 S. Agata Imperia

1

^100.0 ^100.0 ^— ^—

7 Argine destro Imperia — —

—

^— ^—

8 Verezzo Sanremo 18 94.4 83.3 16.7

—

9 Coldirodi Sanremo 3 100 100 — —

LO Colleluori Sanremo 8 87.5 87.5 — 12.5

1 1 Zappa Sanremo

1

^100.0 ^100.0 ^— ^—

l i S. Bartolomeo Sanremo ios 71.4 1.0 — 99.0

13 Trucco Ventimiglia 1 9 0 83.7 16.3 — 83.7

14 Roverino Ventimiglia 22 68.1 50 — 50.0

15 Canile Ventimiglia 144 54.1 13.2 — 86.8

Total 1,544 68.8

39.9 0.9 59.2

Savona p r o v i n c e

1 Accame- Tovo S. Giacomo 0 77.8 55.5 — 44.5

1 Crescia Tovo S. Giacomo — — — —

3 S. Carlo Bardino Vecchio 9 77.7 66.6 33.4 —

4 Casanova Varazze — —

—

^— ^—

5 Pineta Marini Boissano 4 100.0 100.0 — —

d Liggia Savona 5 60.0 100.0

—

^—

Total

66.6 74.1 11.1

^{1 4 . 8}

G e n o a p r o v i n c e

1 Rosada Genoa — ^— ^— — ^—

2 S. Siro Genoa 12 75.0 33.3 ^— 66.7

3 Ρ re li Genoa 5 80.0 20.0

—

^80.0

I Molassana Genoa —

—

^— ^— ^—

5 Trento Genoa 0 83.3 — — 100.0

6 Vicino Chiesa Sestri Ponente 24 54.2 1.2 — 95.8

7 Antica Romana Quarto — — — — —

Total

47 65.9

^{1 2 . 8} — 8 7 . 2

La Spezia p r o v i n c e

1 La Serra Lerici 568 58.1 10.2 — 89.8

2 Pezzino Le Grazie 4 25.0 50.0

—

^50.0

3 Stagnoni La Spezia 20 75.0 15.0

—

^85.0

I Felettino La Spezia 6 83.3 — — 100.0

5 Dante Ceparana — — — —

Total

598

59.0 10.5 —

89.5

Overtotal

2,216

66.1 3 1 . 8 0.8

67.4

Table I. — Sandfly species identified in Liguria region in 1995 (June-October).

Parasite, 1997, 4, 377-381

3 7 8 - Note de recherche

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DISTRIBUTION OF PHLEBOTOMUS AMASI IN ITALY

(8.1 % ) ] , S a n r e m o [Verezzo ( 1 6 . 7 %)] and Bardino V e c c h i o [S. Carlo ( 3 3 . 4 % ) ] . S. minuta was present in many stations with high p e r c e n t a g e s . T h e results o f the sandfly investigation s h o w that P. ariasi is apparently absent in the provinces o f G e n o a and La Spezia located far from the foci o f Southern France. All the localities w h e r e the s p e c i e s has b e e n c o l l e c t e d up to n o w are listed in Table II; their distribution is shown on the map (Fig. 1 ) . T h e altitudinal range o f these localities varies from 9 0 m to 1,060 m a.s.l. with a m a x i m u m p e a k around 5 0 0 - 6 0 0 m. Considering the present distribu

tion o f P. ariasi in Italy, it appears that, as in Spain and France, the species is prevalent at high altitude and s h o w s a d e c r e a s e near the seaside.

T h e analysis o f the wide sandfly s e a r c h e s carried out during the last 25 years b y the late Pr. A. Coluzzi, by Pr. S. Bettini and by o n e o f the authors (M.M.) in Sicily and Sardinia ( m o r e than 4 0 , 0 0 0 s p e c i m e n s w e r e iden

tified from a wide range o f habitats) P. ariasi s e e m s to b e absent in the two major Italian islands ( B i o c c a et al., 1977; Bettini et al, 1 9 9 1 ; Maroli et al., 1 9 9 4 α ) . Moreover, by previous and recent entomological inves

tigations its p r e s e n c e can b e excluded also in other Ita

lian regions (Maroli et al., 1994 α). Therefore, it is rea

s o n a b l e to s u p p o s e that the present distribution o f P. ariasi in Italy is limited to the boarding areas o f France, Piedmont and Liguria regions.

P. ariasi and P. neglectus have b e e n supposed to share a c o m m o n origin. P. neglectus is distributed with a similar chorology, through the eastern Mediterranean basin from Italy to Syria without overlap o f the distri

bution area o f P. ariasi. At the middle o f Miocene, a c o m m o n ancestor could have invaded Western Europe c o m i n g from the East, round the North o f the Alps d o w n to the Iberian peninsula (Pesson et al., 1994).

Nevertheless, it is difficult to state precisely w h e r e the speciation o f P. ariasi occurred. During its further migrations it could have c o l o n i s e d North Africa (up to Tunisia) across the Betico-Rifan bridge and reached Ita

lian peninsula along the northern Mediterranean coast.

P. ariasi was n e v e r reported from Sardinia as well as from Corsica; recently it has b e e n reported in Majorca island by Gil Collado et al. ( 1 9 8 9 ) .

In conclusion, at present it is hard to explain why, along the Mediterranean coast, despite the favourable ecological condition, c o m p a r a b l e to those in Spain and Magreb, the spreading o f P. ariasi was limited to the present occidental border provinces o f Liguria and Piedmont. T h e p a l e o g e o g r a p h i c alpine barrier can explain the split o f an ancestor b e t w e e n western and eastern Mediterranean regions but the factors limiting the dissemination o f P. ariasi along Tyrrenian coast are still b e determined.

C o m m u n e s (Locality) Altitude

Habitat

m a.s.l.² Total*

P. ariasi

% R e f e r e n c e s⁴ Imperia p r o v i n c e

Borgo di Ranzo 540 a 3 100.0 Unpublished data

Diano Castello 135 a. b 484 2.3 Present data

Molini di Trioni 430 a 5 60.0 Rioux et al., 1964

Montalto Ligure (Badalucco) 90 a 2 50.0 Unpublished data

Pieve di Teco 220 a 4 75.0 Unpublished data

Pieve di Teco (Colle di Nava) 600-800 a 83 98.8 Unpublished data

Pieve di Teco (Colle S.Bartolomeo) 405-590 a 21 95.2 Unpublished data

Pieve di Teco (Cosió d'Arroscia) 830 a 4 100.0 Unpublished data

Pigna (Passo Langan) 420-1060 a 88 82.9 Rioux et al., 1964

Sanremo (Verezzo) 233 a, b 18 16.7 Present data

Savona p r o v i n c e

Bardino Vecchio 140 b. ι 7 14.3 Unpublished data

Edi (Colle S.Bernardo. Berioli) Sin ό 19 42.1 Present data

Finale Ligure 90 a, с 12 41.7 Unpublished data

Cuneo p r o v i n c e

Aisone (Vallata della Stura) 870 a 26 96.2 Unpublished data

Garessio 650 a 1 100.0 Unpublished data

Ormea 700 a 4 100.0 Unpublished data

Overtotal 7 7 9 3 1 . 8

1 Habitat inspected (a = rural; b = domestic; с = peri-domestic);

2 Max. and min. altitudes of the collecting stations along the "transect";

1 Total specimens of genus Phlebotomus identified ;

1 Unpublished data of late Pr. A. Coluzzi, partially reported by Biocca et al., 1977.

Table II. — Geographical distribution of Pblebotomus ariasi Tonnoir, 1921 in Italy¹.

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¡VÍAROLI M., P U N T U A L E G.. K H O U R Y С , FRUSTERI L. ¿4 RAINERI V.

Fig. 1. — Geographical distribution of Phlebotomus ariasi in Italy. ( · ) = locality where P. ariasi has been reported; CN = Cuneo; IM = Imperia;

SV = Savona; m = meter.

Further genetic studies on different populations of P. ariasi originating from Europe and North-Africa are needed to compare this taxon to other close related species as P. chadlii and P. mariae and try to clarify its migrations and its geographical distribution.

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T

W e are grateful to Institute of Parasitology, University of Rome, for the permission to examine the sandfly collections of Pr. A. Coluzzi.

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Reçu le 2 2 janvier 1 9 9 7 A c c e p t é le 10 août 1 9 9 7

A B O U T THE EASTERN LIMIT OF DISTRIBUTION OF PHLEBOTOMUS ARIASI (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE)