Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, cilt.44, sa.1, ss.253-264, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Turkey is among the countries where sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are responsible for the endemic presence of leishmaniasis. Understanding the feeding behaviour of haematophagous arthropods is crucial for revealing the transmission cycles of vector-borne diseases. However, research on the host preferences of sand fly species in Turkey has been limited. This study aims to determine the blood meal sources of sand fly species collected from a wide range of geographical areas and to identify their feeding patterns. For the blood meal analysis, Sanger sequencing targeting the vertebrate mitochondrial cytochrome b or mammalian 12 S rRNA genes was performed on 265 female specimens collected between 2006 and 2019. The feeding patterns of sand flies were determined using Null model analysis. Host assignments of 218 individuals revealed nine different vertebrate hosts for 14 sand fly taxa. Bos taurus was the predominant host (81.19%), followed by Gallus gallus (8.88%), Capra hircus (5.14%), Mus musculus (1.81%), Ovis aries (0.93%), Homo sapiens (0.47%), Canis lupus familiaris (0.47%), Felis catus (0.47%) and Sitta spp. (0.47%). We discovered an aggregated feeding pattern among sand fly taxa instead of random or segregated feeding. Most sand fly taxa predominantly fed on bovines as their hosts, highlighting the need for further research on the role of domestic animals in the transmission of sand fly-borne diseases. Paraphlebotomus specimens displayed a relatively broad host range, particularly favouring Avian hosts, which requires further investigation into their life history traits.