PHLEBOTOMINE SAND FLIES (DIPTERA, PSYCHOD IDAE) FROM SENEGAL - COMMUNITIES FROM THE FERLO AREA - ARBOVIRUSES ISOLATION

Eleven phlebotomine sand Flies Species were captured in the Ferlo sahe lian region during monthly surveys from April 1992 to June 1993. Aroun d the Niakha ground pool, the most well studied location, the most abu ndant species were respectively : Sergentomyia dubia (40,71 %), S, sch ewtzi (25,54 %) and S. clydei (13,84 %). In total, 98,73 % oi the spec imens captured belonged to the genus Sergentomyia, and only 1,27 % to the genus Phlebotomus. The sand flies community showed a peak oi abund ance in January. The sand flies prefered habitats were termite hills, Followed by animals burrows and tree holes. In the Five communities st udied, the most abundant species was S. dubio, the gecko leishmaniasis vector. P. duboscqi, the human cutaneous leishmaniasis vector, was ca ptured each month, despite its low abundance, except in the ratel burr ows. Chandipura and Saboya viruses, as well as two probably new viruse s, were isolated From sand flies.