SPECIES COMPOSITION OF SAND FLIES AND POPULATION-DYNAMICS OF PHLEBOTOMUS-PAPATASI (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE) IN THE SOUTHERN JORDAN-VALLEY, AN ENDEMIC FOCUS OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS

The species composition of sand flies and the seasonality of Phlebotom us papatasi Scopoli were studied in the southern Jordan Valley from Ma y to November 1992 using CDC light traps. Eleven species of sand flies were recorded, including P. kazeruni Theodor & Mesghali and P. tobbi Adler & Theodor, which are new records for the study area, and Sergent omyia squamipleuris Newstead, which is reported for the first time fro m Jordan. P. papatasi was the most abundant Phlebotomus species collec ted from domestic habitats as well as Psammomys obesus Crestzchmar bur rows, comprising 89.4 and 99.5% of the total Phlebotomus catches, resp ectively. The catch of P. papatasi in CDC light traps was compared amo ng domestic habitats, P. obesus burrows in an agriculturally modified semiarid rural habitat, and P. obesus burrows in a natural semiarid ru ral habitat. Peak P. papatesi abundance occurred in September and Octo ber and then declined sharply by late November. The abundance and temp oral association of P. papatasi activity with the prevalence of cutane ous leishmaniasis in the study area pointed to the significance of thi s sand fly in the transmission of the parasite.