The subgenus Adlerius Nitzulescu (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotomus) in Iran

Phlebotomine sandflies of the subgenus Adlerius (Diptera: Psychodidae) includes 20 described species and two unnamed from Afghanistan. The female sandflies of this subgenus are considered as indistinguishable morphologically and their identification is based on the identification of associated males. Some species of Adlerius are suspected vectors of visceral leishmaniasis and at least one species has been implicated as a vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Four species of Adlerius have been recorded in Iran in the past: P. brevis Theodor and Mesghali, 1964, P. halepensis Theodor, 1948, P. longiductus Parrot, 1928 and P. balcanicus Theodor, 1948. The present study based on a field work carried out all over Iran reports two new species in the country: Phlebotomus turanicus Artemiev 1974 and Phlebotomus salangensis Artemiev, 1978. They have been caught from the North-East of Iran in provinces bordering Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, respectively. A review of the distribution of the Adlerius species of Iran is proposed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.