Abstract
Breeding populations of phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera, Psychodidae) on the floor of a rain forest in Panama were studied with soil emergence traps. The species Lutzomyia trapidoi (Fairchild and Hertig) was predominant. L. panamensis (Shannon), L. gomezi (Nitzulescu), L. pessoana (Barretto), L. rorotaensis (Floch and Abonnenc), and L. insolita (Fairchild and Hertig) were regularly collected. The overall mean emergence rate was estimated at 24 sandflies/100 m2 of forest soil per day. Data are given on the sex ratios, local and seasonal effects, and associated animal taxa. The ecology and medical importance of the species complement of the forest floor habitat and the implications of the study with regard to sand fly control are discussed. It was concluded that the availability of vector sandflies is probably not the primary limiting factor in the distribution of leishmaniasis in forested areas of Panama.
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