PARASITOLGOY

Family :Psychodidae
Small hairy flies about 2.5 mm in length
Wings heavily clothed with hairs/scales so venation is obscured
Referred to as SAND FLIES/MOTH FLIES/ OWL MIDGES

Genus: Phlebotomus
Species: P.argentipes
 PARASITOLGOY

Morphology
Small, like miniature mosquitoes
2-3 mm long, rarely 5 mm
Light yellow to grey in colour- hence the common name sand fly
Body densely covered with hairs
HEAD
Elongated head, hangs down from the thorax
Conspicuous large dark compound eyes-hence the common name owl midges
Antenna similar in both males and females- Moniliform(with a beaded appearance), 16 segmented
Each segment of the antenna encircled by whorls of hair
Mouthparts adapted for biting
Palps pendulous hairy 5 jointed
Thorax
Raised/arched/humped, Covered with hairs
Wing large lanceolate, held roof like over the abodomen
2nd longitudinal vein forked twice
Legs long slender and stilt like covered with hairs
Abdomen
Long ,8-10 segments, Abdomen covered with hairs
Female with rounded posterior extremity
Male with claspers
 PARASITOLGOY

Life cycle
Breeding habitat
Cracks, crevices, holes in the wall,rocks- non aquatic
Dark, moist areas with decaying organic matter
Eggs
are ellipsoidal in shape 0.3 to 0.4 mm long with rounded
ends
When laid yellowish in colour which turns dark brown
Shows the presence of shining longitudinal black wavy lines,
raised slightly and joinded by slender cross lines
40-50 eggs in a lifetime by the female
 PARASITOLGOY

Larvae
Eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks the emergence of the L 1 is by using the egg breaker
situated at its head end
Larvae feeds on lizard and other animal faeces, decaying organic matter and even
dried leaves
It has a distinct sclerotized head, eyes absent
It has 12 segments, 3 thoracic and 9 abdominal
All segments have feathered hairs- match stick like hairs
Terminal segments have the characteristic caudal bristles, 4 bristles in L 3 and 2
in L 1 and L 2
The first seven segments possess small false legs called the pseudopods
Pupa
Pupal stage lasts for 1 to 2 weeks
Last larva skin is not discarded so the pupa remains in an upright position
attached to it
It has a triangular head and a curved abdomen, it resembles a miniature ram
since the long antennal sheath which curve below its eyes looks like a rams horn-
rams head like appearance
 PARASITOLGOY

Effects on the host

Direct effect :
Nuisance due to the bites at night
Indirect
Transmission of Leishmania donavani which
causes Kala azar in man
Sandfly fever or papatasi fever due to a virus is
transmitted by this fly
 PARASITOLGOY

Control
Removal of dense vegetations to discourage breeding of the flies
Residual application of DDT at 1-3 g/m 2
Gamma HCH @2-5mg/m2 controls the fly for 3 months
Plastering the walls of the huts with a mixture of lime and mud
Mosquito eradication measures also enables control of
Phlebotomus
Impregnated nets?
Aphid alarm pheromone induces feeding of poison baits which
kills the flies
Cyfluthrin corn oil mixture sprayed in breeding of sandflies also
helps in control
PARASITOLGOY
PARASITOLGOY