Habitat Associations Shape Phlebotomine Sand Fly Assemblages at the Andes-Amazon Interface in Southeastern Peru

Phlebotomine sand flies remain poorly studied in southeastern Peru, a region with a high burden of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Using modified ultraviolet (UV) light traps, we surveyed sand fly assemblages at Manu Biological Station during the wet season within secondary forest, Guadua bamboo forest, fruit crop plots, and peridomicile habitats. We collected 2641 sand flies representing 32 species. Habitat type was the primary driver of assemblage composition, with minimum nightly temperature as the strongest environmental correlate. Sand fly abundance was highest in secondary forest (n = 921) and peridomicile habitats (n = 836), where assemblages were dominated by Nyssomyia shawi, a generalist species. Although Guadua bamboo forests harbored lower abundance (n = 386), potential vector species comprised 92% of the assemblage compared to 42-86% in other habitats, suggesting that expanding bamboo forests may favor a higher proportion of potential CL vectors. Peridomicile assemblages consisted largely of generalist species that overlapped with adjacent forested habitats, indicating potential pathways for sylvatic-to-peridomestic spillover. Although the study's limited scope (i.e., limited to a single season and locality) does not allow broad generalization, our findings suggest the importance of habitat in structuring patterns of potential vector exposure.