DISTINGUISHING THE FEMALES OF PHLEBOTOMUS-(SYNPHLEBOTOMUS)-MARTINI AND P-(S)-CELIAE (DIPTERA, PHLEBOTOMINAE), VECTORS OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The inability to distinguish the females of East African Synphlebotomu s spp. (P. martini Parrot, P. vansomerenae Heisch, Guggisberg & Teesda le and P. celiae Minter) was a major constraint on epidemiological stu dies of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the region. An intensive morpho metric study of two sympatric Synphlebotomus spp. (P. martini and P. c eliae) in a VL focus of southern Ethiopia based on both isofemale broo ds and wild-caught parent specimens (identified by their male progenie s) showed that laboratory-bred females were separable by eight morphol ogical characters, but only two (labrum length and labrum length/wing length ratio) successfully distinguished the wild-caught parent female s of the two species; the latter were used to identify wild-caught Syn phlebotomus females from southern Ethiopia (Aba Roba) during subsequen t epidemiological studies. A further difference between the two specie s was seen in the length of the spermathecal ducts.