Embryonic development of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae), under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas. The development of L. longipalpis eggs was monitored for six days under experimental conditions. This allowed describing the internal and external morphological characteristics of the egg and the newly born larvae, as well as estimating their length.  In eggs with one and two days of development, abundant vitello was observed without clear formation of blastula and gastrula. On the third day, a decrease in the vitelline envelope and the differentiation of some larval structures were recorded. On the fourth day the larva formed was observed, but not sclerotized. On the fifth day we visualized the caudal setae and through the chorion the differentiated larval structures, and on the sixth day the majority (90 %) of the larvae had hatched. On average, the length of the eggs was 372.8 µm and the width 109.0 µm, while the length of the larvae was 628.8 µm and the length of the caudal setae was 686.7 µm