Distribution of Phlebotomus argentipes Annandale & Brunetti, 1908 in the Anuradhapura district, North Central Sri Lanka

Background & objectives: Phlebotomus argentipes Annandale & Brunetti, 1908 (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the main vector responsible for the transmission of Leishmania donovani (Laveran & Mesnil, 1903) Ross, 1903 in the subcontinent of India. It is the potential vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka. The present study determined ecological factors that influence the abundance of P. argentipes in areas with high disease prevalence in the Anuradhapura district, North Central Sri Lanka. Methods: CDC light traps and yellow sticky traps were used for sampling, and abundance was recorded throughout 12 months with selected environmental parameters namely, relative humidity, wind speed, and temperature. The relationships between the abundance of P. argentipes with mean temperature, % relative humidity, and wind speed were tested with regression analysis. The temporal distribution of the vector population was tested with a time series analysis. Results: The study identified the most preferable microhabitats of P. argentipes: shrubs, unclear areas, gardening areas, wet soil areas with leaf litter, and termite hills. The results indicated that the abundance of P. argentipes was highly dependent on mean temperature (P = 0.00, R2 = 68%), and a high number of P. argentipes was recorded for a low mean temperature range of 24.7–27.3°C. Furthermore, the abundance of P. argentipes exhibited an increasing trend with high humidity levels of 72–88% (P = 0.00, R2 = 91.6%). Interpretation & conclusion: These findings may help predict the temporal variation of the potential vector population with studied ecological parameters and contribute to a successful vector management strategy with thorough knowledge of the behavioral pattern of P. argentipes.