PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT OF THE PHENOLOGY OF SOME NIGERIAN SAVANNA PHLEBOTOMINE SANDFLIES (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE)

A total of 1,705 sandflies was collected by sticky trap from the Guinea savanna of northern Nigeria to determine their seasonal and spatial fluctuations in abundance. Adult sandflies persisted throughout the year, but the highest diversity and abundance were recorded at the end of the rainy season. Females were collected more frequently than were males. The species collected in order of decreasing abundance were Sergentomyia antennata Newstead, S. bedfordi Newstead, S. africana Newstead, S. schwetzi Adler, Theodor & Parrot, S. affinis Theodor, S. adleri Theodor, S. clydei Sinton, S. simillima Newstead, S. buxtoni Theodor, S. christophersi Sinton, and Phlebotomus rodhaini Parrot. Sandfly abundance was greater near rocky terrain (Dumbi inselberg) and on an animal farm than on the open plains and in a residential area. Known vectors of leishmaniasis were not collected, despite the report of human cases in the study area.