Machado VE, Corrêa AG, Goulart TM, Silva FBDR, Ortiz DGS, Pinto MC. Attraction of the sand fly Nyssomyia neivai (Diptera: Psychodidae) to chemical compounds in a wind tunnel.
Parasit Vectors 2015;
8:147. [PMID:
25889391 PMCID:
PMC4354759 DOI:
10.1186/s13071-015-0748-y]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Similar to other hematophagous insects, male and female sand flies must feed on plants to obtain sugar and, subsequently, energy to complete their life cycles. A large number of compounds emitted by plants may act as volatile signals to these insects. Primary alcohols have been detected in some plants, but in small amounts. In a previous report, the attractiveness of saturated primary alcohols with 7 to 9 carbons was evaluated for Lutzomyia longipalpis, the vector of American visceral leishmaniasis, with positive results.
Methods
In the present study, a wide range of primary alcohols, 3 to 10 carbons, were tested to investigate their attractiveness to another sand fly species, Nyssomyia neivai, a putative vector of American cutaneous leishmaniasis. The mixture of compounds that induced the best sand fly response was also evaluated.
Results
Of the eight compounds evaluated, hexanol and octanol elicited the best attractive responses for sand fly females.
Conclusion
Phytochemicals may be an interesting source of search for new sand fly attractants.
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