Descriptions of the Immature Stages of Lutzomyia(Tricholateralis) cruciata(Coquillett) (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae)

The present study presents morphological and chaetotaxic descriptions of the immature stages of Lutzomyia(Tricholateralis) cruciata(Coquillett), a probable vector of leishmaniasis in Mexico. The egg exochorion is consistent with the species already known as Lu. (Tricholaterialis), but different from the Lu. cruciataegg of Chiapas, Mexico. The fourth instar larva of Lu. (Tricholateralis) cruciatapossesses a novel antenna, combining morphological characteristics of categories 2 and 3 for neotropical sandflies. Differences between the chaetotaxy of first and fourth instar larvae of Lu. cruciatawith those of Lu. (Lutzomyia) and Lu. (Tricholaterlis) are compared and discussed. This is the first time in which the chaetotaxy and morphology of pupa of a species belonging to Lutzomyia(Tricholateralis) sensuGalati have been described, and we recorded for the first time the anterior prothorax setae, which was previously only considered for Old World species.