Morphological variations in Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae) Annandale and Brunetti

Morphological variations were observed in Phlebotomus argentipes, the vector for visceral leishmaniasis reported from the endemic states of Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The taxonomic features distinguishing vector and nonvector species of P. argentipes were relative length of ascoid and antennal segment IV. Three morphotypes were characterized as <0.4, = 0.4 and >0.4 respectively. Other characteristics of wing width, wing length, eye, style, antennal segment III, IV, V was found statistically significant (p<0.05) and eleven other morphological measurements were not significant. This study suggests three different morphotypes of P. argentipes in these three endemic states. The genetic and reproductive isolation among such morphotypes will establish the variability in further studies.