Checklist of American sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae): genera, species, and their distribution

Abstract Phlebotomine sand flies are dipteran insects of medical importance because many species are involved in the transmission of pathogens between human and non-human animals. A total of 530 American species of sand flies is presented in an updated checklist, along with their author(s) and year of publication using the classification by Galati (1995, 2003). Distribution by country is also provided.


Introduction
Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) are medically important insects involved in the transmission of arboviruses, bacteria and protozoan parasites among human and non-human animals (Rangel and Lainson 2009).
There are approximately 1,000 valid described species of sand flies in the world of which 530 are known to occur in the Americas. Historically, the systematics of sand flies has been based on the division of species into few genera (Fairchild highlighting their type-locality. This work updates the list of American sand flies and provides currently accepted names for use by taxonomists, students, researchers and health workers.
To be considered valid, and therefore included in this checklist, a species name has to meet the criteria of publication in Articles 8 and 9 of International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) (1999,2011).
The checklist presents genera arranged according to the classification of Galati (2003), and subgenera, species groups/series and species are listed alphabetically within each genus. Countries are listed alphabetically and the country of the type locality is mark with asterisk (*). Fossil species are indicated by the symbol †. We intend to add information about synonymies and full references for distributional records in a later, more comprehensive, catalogue.

Results
This checklist includes 530 species of the Phlebotominae, distributed among 23 genera, occurring in 28 countries.
There are seven "informal" taxa that comprise unavailable names since they do not meet the requirements of the ICZN, and two other names are available but are found to denote more than one taxon (availability of name is not affected according to provisions of the ICZN, Articles 17.2 and 23.8). Here, we report one nomem dubium for Nyssomyia singularis and one species inquierenda for Bichromomyia inornata.
Despite the great amount of data on American sand flies and the increased interest in the study of these insects, there has been slow progress in the understanding of taxonomy and systematics of this subfamily. The checklist presented herein aims to give an updated account of which valid species have been recorded in the Neotropical and Neartic regions, as well as provide information on the geographical range of these species by country.  (Lewis, 1967) Distribution. Cayman Islands*.

Lutzomyia manciola Ibáñez-Bernal, 2001
Distribution. Belize*. Note. The insertion of this species in Lutzomyia is provisional. There were no female characters to be observed that could lead to more accurate placement in any genus, nor was the male known. The inclusion of L. manciola in Sciopemyia was suggested by Ibáñez-Bernal (2001). However, L. manciola do not present the head and labrum-epipharynx shorter than the sum of flagellomeres FI + FII, which are diagnostic characters for Sciopemyia. Lutzomyia ponsi (Perruollo, 1984) Distribution. Venezuela*. Note. The description of this species does not provide sufficient information to place it in any genus; and the similarity of their spermathecae with those of L. ignacioi led us to include it together with this species in the genus Lutzomyia. Lutzomyia tanyopsis Young & Perkins, 1984 Distribution. United States of America*. Lutzomyia vargasi (Fairchild & Hertig, 1961) Distribution. Mexico*.
Note. This species is only known from the type specimen mounted in Canada Balsam medium. The specimen "cotype" is deposited in the Coleção Entomológica do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/CEIOC) (number of the slides: 1436-1439). The specimen was collected in 08-VIII-1902 by Adolpho Lutz in Juqueri (currently Mairiporã municipality) state of São Paulo, Brazil. One of us (AJA) studied the type and observed that the thorax is damaged, but it is possible to observe the colour of the paratergite and scutum, which is similar to species in the genus Nyssomyia. The spermathecae was dissected, but was not observed in any of the slides, so it is likely the spermathecae has oxized over time. The original description is insufficient for a positive identification, however the spermathecae as illustrated show the same number of rings as Nyssomyia neivai. In the absence of evidence positively linking the two species, however, we prefer to consider Nyssomyia singularis as a nomen dubium.
Available names but found to denote more than one taxon (availability of the name is not affected according to provisions of the ICZN, Articles 17.2 and 23.8)

Phlebotomus breviductus Barretto, 1950
Note. Only known from the holotype and five females collected by Rangel et al. (1985). Andrade et al. (2013) examined the holotype and concluded that the head and wing of this specimen belong to a Trichopygomyia sp. specimen, whereas the thorax and abdomen belong to an anomalous specimen of Nyssomyia umbratilis.

Phlebotomus oliverioi Barretto & Coutinho, 1941
Note. Andrade et al. (2014) examined the holotype and concluded that the head of this specimen belongs to a specimen of Psychodopygus while the wings, thorax and abdomen belong to another specimen, of the genus Psathyromyia.

Micropygomyia (Sauromyia) sp. 2 of Araracuara (Morales & Minter, 1981)
Distribution. Colombia*. Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species has been described from both males and females, but the authors decided not to name it. Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) sp. of Pichinde Young, 1979 Distribution. Colombia*. Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species has been described from both males and females. Young (1979) and Young and Duncan (1994) stated that this species was closely related to L. (H.) hartmanni and L. (H.) scorzai, but noted that further studies were necessary before formally naming this species. Pintomyia sp. of Anchicaya (Young, 1979) Distribution. Colombia*.
Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species has been described form a single male, but Young and Duncan (1994) stated that they were waiting for the collection of the female before formally naming this species. Dampfomyia sp. of Suchitepequez (Young & Duncan, 1994) Distribution. Guatemala*.
Note. This species appears as an illustration in Young and Duncan (1994: 247), who stated it was the holotype of Lutzomyia piedraferroi. However, Galati (2003) interpreted their illustration as a different species, which differs markedly in the number and shape of the spines in the gonostyle from the original description by León (1971); she referred to the species as Dampfomyia sp. of Suchitepequez, and it awaits formal description. Pressatia #1 Mangabeira, 1942 Distribution. Bolivia*, Colombia. Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species is listed by Young and Duncan (1994), and reported as being described form a single male by Velasco (unpublished). However, Young and Duncan (1994) stated that the latter was waiting for the collection of the female before formally naming this species.

Evandromyia (Aldamyia) sp. of Baduel (Floch & Abonnenc, 1945)
Distribution. Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana*, Surinam. Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species has been described from both males and females. Although this species has been recorded in different publications, no attempt has been made so far to formally describe it. Psychodopygus sp. of Trés Esquinas (Young, 1979) Distribution. Colombia*. Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species has been described only from females. Because females of the series guyanensis are indistinguishable in morphology, it is not possible to know if this species has been previously described from a male. Trichophoromyia sp. 1 of Araracuara (Morales & Minter, 1981) Distribution. Colombia*. Note. Unavailable according to article 11.4 of the ICZN. This species has been described from both males and females. However, the authors were not sure if it was a variant of T. howardi Young, 1979, and hence decided not to name it.