Sandflies are small, blood-feeding flies that can transmit diseases like leishmaniasis. They are found worldwide and come in various colors. Female sandflies require blood meals for reproduction and can lay 100 eggs after feeding. They have piercing mouthparts adapted for sucking blood and are most active at twilight and night. Sandflies vary in size from 2-5mm and have six legs, wings, and undergo complete metamorphosis from egg to adult.

1. SAND FLIES
(Phlebotominae)
PREPARED BY:
SHARMINE S. BALLESTEROS

2.  Phlebotominae include many genera of blood-feeding
(hematophagous) diptera, including the primary vectors of
leishmaniasis, Oroya fever and pappataci fever.
 It is also called as sand gnat, sandflea, no-see-um, granny
nipper, chitra, or punky.
 Sandflies are distributed worldwide.
INTRODUCTION

3.  In the New World, leishmaniasis is spread by sandflies of the
genus Lutzomyia;
 In the Old World, the disease is spread by sandflies of the
genus Phlebotomus.
 Sandflies are carrier of Chandipura virus, which is relative to
rabies, is very deadly. There was an outbreak in India in 2010.

4.  Adult sandflies are 3 mm in length.
 Golden, brownish or gray in color.
 They have long, piercing mouthparts that are well adapted for
sucking blood from their selected host.
 They hold their hairy-looking wings in a vertical V-shape when
at rest.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

6.  They have six long legs, which is typically longer than their body.
 They are most active at twilight, night or shade.
 They develop a complete metamorphosis – egg, larva, pupa, and
adult.

7.  Female sandflies are responsible for biting and sucking blood in
mammals, reptiles and birds.
 When feeding, they inject biochemical inhibiting blood clotting
and stimulates mast cells to produce histamine distending
capillary vessels, promoting blood flow.
 The protein in the blood is necessary for the production of eggs.

8.  They have anautogenous reproduction, which means they need
blood meal before they can produce eggs.
 One blood meal can support the production of about 100 eggs.
 Females lay their eggs in humid soil rich in organic matter.

9.  They cannot fly more than 106 meters from their breeding area.
 Some sandflies are exophagic, living entirely out of doors, while
others are endophagic, invade houses.

10.  The body of sandflies are divided in three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen.
 HEAD:
 It bears a pair of conspicuous black eyes.
 It has a long, slender and hairy antennae, palpi, and proboscis.
 THORAX
 It bears a pair of wings and 3 pairs of legs
 Wings upright, oval lanceolate, and densely hairy and devoid of scales.
EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY

12.  ABDOMEN
 It has 10 segments and covered with hair.
 Males possess three long, prominent genitalia known as
claspers, which are attached to the posterior end of the
abdomen.
 Females have a pair of anal recti.

13. MALE FEMALE
Claspers
Anal recti

15. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SANDFLY AND MOSQUITO
SANDFLY MOSQUITO
SIZE 3 mm long 4-5 mm long
COLOR Yellowish brown Black
EGG PRODUCTION 40-60 eggs 100-250 eggs
FLIGHT RANGE 200 yards 2-3 kilometers
LIFE SPAN 2 weeks 2-3 weeks