Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) cruciata (Coquillett)

Ibáñez-Bernal, Sergio, Hernández-Xoliot, Ruth A. & Mendoza, Fredy, 2006, Collections of Bruchomyiinae and Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the north­central portion of the State of Veracruz, Mexico, with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 1270, pp. 19-33 : 25

Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) cruciata (Coquillett)

Flebotomus cruciatus Coquillett, 1907: 102 (female description). Type­locality: Trece Aguas: Cacao, Alta Vera Paz, Guatemala. Additional References: Barretto 1947: 194 (taxonomic history to that year)

Lutzomyia cruciata (Coquillett) : Theodor, 1965: 182. Additional references: Young and Duncan 1994: 67 (taxonomic history from 1947 to 1994); Ibáñez­Bernal 1999: 78 (taxonomy and Mexican records)

This species is widespread in Mexico except the northeastern portion in which Lutzomyia diabolica (Hall) is distributed. Lutzomyia cruciata is common in human­bait collections. It has been collected in nearly all the Mexican human cutaneous leishmaniasis foci, and for this reason it possibly has an important role in the transmission of Leishmania spp. in the area here studied. The unique published record of L. cruciata in Veracruz is from the southern locality of Juan Díaz Covarrubias, but the senior author also collected specimens in Xalapa (not published). As there is a record of this species from southern Tamaulipas (Santa Engracia, see Ibáñez­Bernal 1999), this species probably is distributed throughout the State of Veracruz. In the studied area, L. cruciata was the most abundant species.

Material examined. 4 males, 53 females. Mexico, Veracruz: Municipality of Juchique de Ferrer, El Tacahuite, 523 m a.s.l., April 13, 2005, light trap, Bernabé and Guevara, colls. 1 male, 13 females; January 16, 2006, coffee plantation, Bernabé and Guevara, colls. 1 male, 13 females; El Pensamiento, January 19, 2006, coffee plantation, Bernabé and Guevara, colls. 1 males, 6 females; Dos Arroyos, February 22, 2006, coffee plantation, Mendoza, Bernabé and Guevara, colls., 2 females; Loma de San Nicolás, February 23, 2006, Mendoza, Bernabé and Guevara, colls., 7 females; March 2, 2006, Bernabé and Guevara, colls., 6 females; Municipality of Colipa, El Zapotal, February 14, 2006, Mendoza, Bernabé and Guevara, colls., attracted to human, 7 females; refuge between tree roots, 1 male, 6 females.