Molecular phylogeny of Psychodopygina (Diptera, Psychodidae) supporting morphological systematics of this group of vectors of New World tegumentary leishmaniasis

New World sandflies are vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, and some arboviruses. A classification based on 88 morphological characters was proposed 27 years ago when the New World phlebotomines were organized into two tribes Hertigiini and Phlebotomini. The latter was structured into four subtribes (Brumptomyiina, Sergentomyiina, Lutzomyiina, and Psychodopygina) and 20 genera. The subtribe Psychodopygina, including most of the American vectors of tegumentary Leishmania comprises seven genera from which no molecular work has been produced to support this classification. Here, we carried out a molecular phylogeny based on combined sequences (1,334 bp) of two genes: partial 28S rDNA and mtDNA cytochrome b from 47 taxa belonging to the Psychodopygina. The Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction agreed with the classification based on morphological characters, supporting the monophyly of the genera Psychodopygus and Psathyromyia, whereas Nyssomyia and Trichophoromyia seemed to be paraphyletic. The paraphylies of the two latter groups were exclusively caused by the doubtful position of the species Ny. richardwardi. Our molecular analysis provides additional support to adopt the morphologic classification of Psychodopygina.

Automated summary

New World sandflies are vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, and some arboviruses. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on combined sequences of two genes supports the morphologic classification of Psychodopygina, a subtribe that includes the majority of American vectors of tegumentary Leishmania. The study indicates the monophyly of the genera Psychodopygus and Psathyromyia, but suggests that Nyssomyia and Trichophoromyia may not be monophyletic.