Genetic divergence in Migonemyia migonei (Diptera: Psychodidae) phlebotomine sandfly

MOYA, S.L.; PECH-MAY, A.; QUINTANA, M.G.; SALOMÓN, O.D.

La Plata

Congreso; II Congress of the Latin American Society for Vector Ecology "Control of endemic zoonotic and vector-borne emerging and re-emerging diseases: Current challenges in Latin America"; 2022

Universidad Nacional de La Plata

Migonemyia migonei is a zoophilic species with great adaptability to modified environments and also presents anthropophilic behavior. It has a wide geographical distribution from Colombia to Argentina, where it is the second species in abundance of records, covering 12 provinces. It is mainly associated with transmission cycles of cutaneous leishmaniasis, but it was also incriminated as a putative vector of Leishmania infantum (etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis) in an enzootic cycle with accidental human transmission in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, in the absence of the primary vector Lutzomyia longipalpis complex. In Brazil, Mg. migonei is considered a permissive vector with demonstrated susceptibility to the development of different Leishmania species. Given its epidemiological importance, we analyzed the genetic divergence of the cytochrome C oxidase (COI) gene fragment from the sequences of 12 specimens collected in different localities in Argentina, and from 62 sequences available in Brazil, Colombia and Argentina. Genetic distances and variability were analyzed, a median-joining haplotype network constructed, and finally, a phylogenetic reconstruction was done according to Bayesian inference. The results suggest the existence of at least two monophyletic genetic lineages, one with the sequences of specimens from Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, and the other with sequences only from Argentina. Interestingly, the sequences of specimens captured in sympatry in Misiones, Argentina, correspond to different lineages, which could indicate that this divergence is not due to geographic isolation. The results support the hypothesis of intraspecific genetic divergence, suggesting that Mg. migonei may be a species complex with at least two distinct lineages that could differ in traits of medical interest such as anthropophilia, adaptability, resistance to insecticides or vector competence.