Labrocibarial sensilla in the female sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz &Neiva (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Abstract

Five types of sensilla have been identified on the distal tip of the fascicle and within the food canal in the female of Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz &Neiva, four on the labrum and one in the cibarium. The external morphology of these sensilla is described for the first time, using scanning electron microscopy, allowing a more direct comparison with the mouthpart sense organs present in other groups of haematophagous Diptera. No evidence for the presence of cibarial chemoreceptors was found although such sensilla have been reported in all other groups of Diptera examined.