Lutzomyia adiketis
Encyclopedia
Lutzomyia adiketis is an extinct species
of sandflies
in the moth fly
subfamily Phlebotominae
. L. adiketis is a vector of the extinct Paleoleishmania neotropicum and both species are solely known from early Miocene
Burdigalian
stage Dominican amber
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
.
specimen, number # P-3–5, a complete female fly. The specimen is currently residing in the Poinar Amber Collection housed at the Oregon State University
in Corvallis, Oregon
. The specimen was collected from an unidentified amber mine in the Cordillera Septentrional
between Puerto Plata and Santiago de los Caballeros
. The specimen was first studied by noted amber researcher George Poinar, Jr.
, from Oregon State University. Poinar published his 2008 type description in the journal Parasites & Vectors
. The specific epithet "adiketis" was coined by the author as a derivation from the Greek word
(), meaning "injurious".
and alimentary tract of the fly were hundreds of trypanosomatid parasites of the species Paleoleishmania neotropicum
. During the struggle the fly ruptured her alimentary tract, which allowed some of the flagellate
s in the gut to leak into the hemocoel. The species P. neotropicum described from these fossils is the second known occurrence for this parasitic genus.
The Dominican amber species Pintomyia paleotownsendi and P. falcaorum
have a Sc vein that is free. The Sc meets the costa vein in P. paleotrichia. In contrast P. brazilorum, P. killickorum, Lutzomyia filipalpis, L. miocena, L. paleopestis, L. schleei, and L. succini all possess an Sc which meets the R1 vein. The presence of a forked Sc vein in the wings, found in some Lutzomyia species including Lutzomyia adiketis, is unique among the described species of sandflies from Dominican amber. Living members of the Phlebotominae suck blood from vertebrates, and L. adiketis is presumed to have done so as well. However, the host(s) of this species has not been identified at this time.
The Dominican Republic is now home to only two living species of Lutzomyia, L. cayennensis hispaniolae and L. christophei and both species are placed in the Verrucarum species group. none of the described Verrucarum group species possess the forked Sc vein that distinguishes L. adiketis from the modern species.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of sandflies
Sandfly
thumb|Sandfly biting a human's little fingerthumb|Sandfly biteSandfly is a colloquial name for any species or genus of flying, biting, blood-sucking Dipteran encountered in sandy areas...
in the moth fly
Psychodidae
The nematoceran family Psychodidae are small true flies with short, hairy bodies and wings giving them a "furry" moth-like appearance...
subfamily Phlebotominae
Phlebotominae
Members of the subfamily Phlebotominae are known outside of the United States by the name sand fly. This subfamily includes numerous genera of blood-feeding flies, including the primary vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis and pappataci fever...
. L. adiketis is a vector of the extinct Paleoleishmania neotropicum and both species are solely known from early Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
Burdigalian
Burdigalian
The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age or stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma...
stage Dominican amber
Dominican amber
Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic. Resin from the extinct species Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics....
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
.
History and classification
The species is known solely from the holotypeHolotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen, number # P-3–5, a complete female fly. The specimen is currently residing in the Poinar Amber Collection housed at the Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
. The specimen was collected from an unidentified amber mine in the Cordillera Septentrional
Cordillera Septentrional
The Cordillera Septentrional runs parallel to the north coast of the Dominican Republic, with extensions to the northwest, the Tortuga island, and to the southeast, the Samaná Peninsula where it becomes the Sierra de Samaná. Its highest mountain is Diego de Ocampo, close to Santiago de los...
between Puerto Plata and Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley...
. The specimen was first studied by noted amber researcher George Poinar, Jr.
George Poinar, Jr.
George O. Poinar, Jr. is an entomologist and writer. He is known for popularizing the idea of extracting DNA from insects fossilized in amber, an idea which received widespread attention when adapted by Michael Crichton for the book and movie Jurassic Park.Poinar earned a B.S. and M.S. at Cornell...
, from Oregon State University. Poinar published his 2008 type description in the journal Parasites & Vectors
Parasites & Vectors
Parasites & Vectors is a peer-reviewed open-access medical journal published by BioMed Central. The journal publishes articles on the biology of parasites, parasitic diseases, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens. Parasites & Vectors was established in 2008 as a merger of Filaria...
. The specific epithet "adiketis" was coined by the author as a derivation from the Greek word
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
(), meaning "injurious".
Description
A number of features in the female fly indicate its placement in the moth fly subfamily Phlebotominae. The specimen lacks an eye bridge and has antenna segments, flagellomeres, with a fusiform shape. The wing venation includes an four branched Rs vein and two longitudinal veins present between the radial and medial forks. Though a number of characters are similar to both the Lutzomyia subgenera Lutzomyia and Pintomyia, it lacks the diagnostic row of spines that are found on the femur in Pintomyia species. As a result Dr. Poinar tentatively placed the species into subgenus Lutzomyia. The total length of the body is 1.3 millimetre (0.0511811023622047 in) with an overall brown coloration to the body antenna, and legs. The specimen is missing the left hind leg and both middle legs along with most of the antenna hairs and many body hairs. Portions of the legs and many of the hairs are preserved behind the fly in the amber. This placement suggests that the fly struggled to free itself from the resin when first trapped. Found preserved in the proboscisProboscis
A proboscis is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In simpler terms, a proboscis is the straw-like mouth found in several varieties of species.-Etymology:...
and alimentary tract of the fly were hundreds of trypanosomatid parasites of the species Paleoleishmania neotropicum
Paleoleishmania
Paleoleishmania is an extinct genus of kinetoplastid , a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa and at present it's placed in kinetoplastid family Trypanosomatidae...
. During the struggle the fly ruptured her alimentary tract, which allowed some of the flagellate
Flagellate
Flagellates are organisms with one or more whip-like organelles called flagella. Some cells in animals may be flagellate, for instance the spermatozoa of most phyla. Flowering plants do not produce flagellate cells, but ferns, mosses, green algae, some gymnosperms and other closely related plants...
s in the gut to leak into the hemocoel. The species P. neotropicum described from these fossils is the second known occurrence for this parasitic genus.
The Dominican amber species Pintomyia paleotownsendi and P. falcaorum
Pintomyia falcaorum
Pintomyia falcaorum is an extinct species of sandfly in the moth fly subfamily Phlebotominae. P. falcaorum is solely known from early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.-History and classification:...
have a Sc vein that is free. The Sc meets the costa vein in P. paleotrichia. In contrast P. brazilorum, P. killickorum, Lutzomyia filipalpis, L. miocena, L. paleopestis, L. schleei, and L. succini all possess an Sc which meets the R1 vein. The presence of a forked Sc vein in the wings, found in some Lutzomyia species including Lutzomyia adiketis, is unique among the described species of sandflies from Dominican amber. Living members of the Phlebotominae suck blood from vertebrates, and L. adiketis is presumed to have done so as well. However, the host(s) of this species has not been identified at this time.
The Dominican Republic is now home to only two living species of Lutzomyia, L. cayennensis hispaniolae and L. christophei and both species are placed in the Verrucarum species group. none of the described Verrucarum group species possess the forked Sc vein that distinguishes L. adiketis from the modern species.