Composition, abundance and dispersion of phlebotomine sandfly fauna were studied in Falcon state, Venezuelan north-western region. The sandflies were collected by five methods in 41 localities between 0 to 1584 m. A total of 6273 specimens were collected, 17 species of Lutzomyia and 1 of Brumptomyia were identified. Of these, 10(55.56%) species are known to be anthropophilic. The predominant species was L. evansi (52.37%). The diversity and dispersion range of sandflies along an altitudinal transect, are presented. The significance of sandfly fauna in the transmission of leishmaniases in the Falcon state region is discussed.

The phlebotomine sandfly are vectors of protozoan parasites Leishmania genus, the causative agents of leishmaniasis in humans and several mammalian hosts. The structure of the phlebotomine sandfly community at the local scale: domicile, peridomicile and sylvatic habitats from a reduced area, was assessed using null models analysis in endemic foci of leishmaniasis from Falcon state, in north-western region of Venezuela. Implementation of null model tests revealed that to a local scale the phlebotomine sandfly communities are aggregated, suggesting that the species co-occurred and did not compete. The assays of co-ocurrence patterns with guild structure analysis and favored states hypothesis showed statistically non-significant results (p> 0.05), suggesting that sandfly species belong to a same guild in relation to their feeding preferences, as hematophagy appears to be an heterogeneous...

Composition, abundance and dispersion of phlebotomine sandfly fauna were studied in Falcon state, Venezuelan north-western region. The sandflies were collected by five methods in 41 localities between 0 to 1584 m. A total of 6273 specimens were collected, 17 species of Lutzomyia and 1 of Brumptomyia were identified. Of these, 10(55.56%) species are known to be anthropophilic. The predominant species was L. evansi (52.37%). The diversity and dispersion range of sandflies along an altitudinal transect, are presented. The significance of sandfly fauna in the transmission of leishmaniases in the Falcon state region is discussed.

The phlebotomine sandfly are vectors of protozoan parasites Leishmania genus, the causative agents of leishmaniasis in humans and several mammalian hosts. The structure of the phlebotomine sandfly community at the local scale: domicile, peridomicile and sylvatic habitats from a reduced area, was assessed using null models analysis in endemic foci of leishmaniasis from Falcon state, in north-western region of Venezuela. Implementation of null model tests revealed that to a local scale the phlebotomine sandfly communities are aggregated, suggesting that the species co-occurred and did not compete. The assays of co-ocurrence patterns with guild structure analysis and favored states hypothesis showed statistically non-significant results (p> 0.05), suggesting that sandfly species belong to a same guild in relation to their feeding preferences, as hematophagy appears to be an heterogeneous...