MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS TO DISCRIMINATE SPECIES OF PHLEBOTOMINE SAND FLIES (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE) - LUTZOMYIA-TOWNSENDI, LUTZOMYIA-SPINICRASSA, AND LUTZOMYIA-YOUNGI

Multivariate discriminant analysis was employed to discriminate on a m orphological basis females of 3 closely related sand fly species, Lutz omyia townsendi (Ortiz), L. spinicrassa Morales, Osorno-Mesa, Osorno & Hoyos, and L. youngi Feliciangeli & Murillo. Principal component and canonical discriminant analysis compared a set of 31 morphological cha racters measured from known specimens to detect differences among the 3 species. A subset of 6 characters separated the 3 species with a hig h level of confidence. A simple method is presented to identify an unk nown specimen as L. townsendi, L. spinicrassa, or L. youngi using thes e 6 morphological characters.