Description of Trichophoromyia uniniensis, a new phlebotomine species (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) of Amazonas State, Brazil

Background A new species of phlebotomine sand flies belonging to Trichophoromyia Barretto, 1962 genus is described, based on males collected in Jaú National Park, Amazonas state, Brazil. Methods The Sand flies were mounted in Canada balsam. They were measured with a binocular Olympus CH-2 microscope with the aid of a micrometer objective and the drawings were done with the help of a camera lucida. Results This new species named Trichophoromyia uniniensis sp. nov. is closely related to Trichophoromyia omagua (Martins, Llanos & Silva, 1976). The former can be distinguished from the latter by the shape of its paramere that has the lower apical region turned up in the new species. Conclusion With the new species here described a total of 39 species belonging to the Trichophoromyia genus are now known, most of them present in the Amazon rainforest.


Background
Sand flies are natural vectors of some disease agents, especially those of the leishmaniases, affecting many thousands of people worldwide [1]. The taxonomy of phlebotomines is complex due to the diversity of their morphological structures and the small differences between the species that permit precise identification. Other problems related to the taxonomy of this group are the complexes of species, morphological variations and anomalies [2][3][4][5]. Despite these difficulties, some species of sand flies have been described recently [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].
The genus Trichophoromyia is a large group of species, found mainly in rain forest [14]. Females of several species Trichophoromyia are morphologically similar and many species are known only by the males [15]. The medical importance of this genus is little understood, but Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis (Mangabeira, 1942) has been incriminated as a vector of Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni Silveira, Shaw, Braga & Ishikawa, 1987 by Lainson et al. [16] and more recently Trichophoromyia auraensis (Mangabeira) has been incriminated as vector of both L. lainsoni and L. braziliensis Vianna [17].
A new species of sand flies, named Trichophoromyia uniniensis sp. nov., collected in Jaú National Park, Amazonas State, Brazil is described here.

Methods
The Jaú National Park (JNP) is the largest continuous area of protected tropical rain forest in the world (2.27 million hectares). It is situated on the right bank of the Negro river, 200 km northwest of Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, Northwestern Brazil (1°40' 3°00'S, 61°26' 64°00'W). The average annual temperature is between 26°C and 27°C, with an average annual rainfall of 2,000-2,250 mm; most of it occurring between December and April. The local population is grouped into 15 riverine communities, 9 along the Unini river (559 people, 116 dwellings) and 6 along the Jaú river (218 people, 41 dwellings).
Phlebotomine sand flies were collected during six surveys conducted between February 2009 and September 2010 in communities of JNP. CDC light traps were installed 1 meter above ground level, between 6.00 pm and 6.00 am and manual aspiration was undertaken with a Castro aspirator at the foot of trees and on other surfaces in the morning and at night.
The sand flies were mounted in Canada balsam. They were measured with a binocular Olympus CH-2 microscope with the aid of a micrometer objective and the drawings were done with the help of a camera lucida. The measurements are given in micrometers. The classification is that proposed by Galati [14].
In accordance with section 8.5 of the ICZN's International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, details of the new species have been submitted to ZooBank with the life science identifier (LSID) zoobank.org/References/ A1273A26-8EF9-49CF-9309-35B83DD53E64.
The description of Trichophoromyia uniniensis nov. sp. is based on eight males. After the measurements of the holotype male, we give, in brackets, the mean, standard deviations and number of paratypes examined for each structure.     the collection of "Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Etymology
The name Trichophoromyia uniniensis sp. nov. alludes to the Unini river, located in the Jaú National Park, the type locality of this species.

Results and discussion
To date, 38 species have been formally described for the genus Trichophoromyia [13,14,18] which can be divided into two groups, based on the ratio between the genital filaments/genital pump. Some species have this ratio lower than 3 and others greater than 4. The new species, with a ratio of 2  [19]), Trichophoromyia reburra (Fairchild & Hertig, 1961) and T. ubiquitalis. Trichophoromyia meirai present the lateral lobe longer than the gonocoxite, while in the new species the opposite occurs. The paramere can be used to distinguish T. ubiquitalis and T. reburra from T. uniniensis. This structure is slightly curved towards the gonocoxite in the new species and straight in the others species. Trichophoromyia omagua also presents the curved paramere [19]. However, this species can be distinguished from the T. uniniensis n. sp. by the shape of the paramere (see Figure 5). The dorsal margin of the paramere in T. omagua is concave while in the new species in its median it is slightly convex, followed by a small pre-apical concavity. Further, the elbow in the ventral region of T. omagua is closer to the middle of the paramere while in the new species it is situated near its fourth apical region.
Only 22 species of Trichophoromyia are described, based on both sexes. This because females of several species present similar morphology. [15]. In fact, of the 22 species whose females have been described, only those of T. reburra, Trichophoromyia cellulana (Young & Duncan, 1979), T. omagua and T. ubiquitalis can be differentiated morphologically [14]. Some females of Trichophoromyia were collected in the Jaú National Park, however, we prefer not to describe them as females of Trichophoromyia uniniensis since other species of Trichophoromyia were also collected in sympatry with the new species.

Conclusion
With the new species here described a total of 39 species belonging to the Trichophoromyia genus are now known, most of them present in the Amazon rainforest.