[On Professor Jean-Antoine Rioux' Phlebotomine sand flies collection (Diptera: Psychodidae)]

Area of Science:

• Entomology and Parasitology
• Vector-borne disease research

Background:

• Professor Jean-Antoine Rioux dedicated his career to studying leishmaniasis foci in the Mediterranean, Near East, and Africa.
• His research extensively involved the collection and study of phlebotomine sand flies, the vectors of leishmaniasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail and inventory Professor Rioux's extensive collection of phlebotomine sand flies.
• To make this valuable entomological resource accessible for future scientific research.

Main Methods:

• Complete inventory and classification of sand fly specimens by species and country of origin.
• Individual mounting of each specimen using the in toto method in Canada balsam for preservation and study.

Main Results:

• The collection comprises 130,840 specimens from 10 countries, including significant representation from France, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
• A total of 26 sand fly species are identified, including various species within the genera *Phlebotomus* and *Sergentomyia*, and *Grassomyia dreyfussi*.

Conclusions:

• The sand fly collection is now housed at the Platform of Reims Biological Resource Centers (PF CRBs Reims) for secure curation and future accessibility.
• This collection, rich in specimens from North Africa and including topotypes, represents a crucial resource for leishmaniasis research, particularly given current geopolitical contexts.