Bionomia e chave para imaturos e adultos de Simulium (Diptera: Simuliidae) na Amazônia Central, Brasil

Abstract

The present study provides bionomic and distribution data on larvae and pupae of black flies in Central Amazonia, Brazil, defined here as Manaus (Amazonas) and nearby counties (Presidente Figueiredo, Itacoatiara, Careiro da Várzea, Manacapuru, Novo Airão). Keys are provided for larvae, pupae, females and males of black flies from this area. Seventy-nine localities were sampled, and they were characterized by the following physico-chemical parameters: water width, depth, velocity, discharge, pH, temperature, predominant vegetation and presence of a dam. Eleven species were found in streams in this area {Simulium cauchense Floch & Abonnenc, Simulium daltanhani Hamada & Adler, Simulium goeldii Cerqueira & Nunes de Mello, Simulium iracouboense Floch & Abonnenc, Simulium maroniense Floch & Abonnenc, Simulium perflavum Roubaud, Simulium quadrifidum Lutz, Simulium rorotaense Floch & Abonnenc, Simulium trombetense Hamada, Py-Daniel & Adler, Simulium "6-B1" and Simulium "A"). Simulium argentiscutum Shelley & Luna Dias was collected only as females biting humans in Itacoatiara County. Keys for larvae, pupae, females and males, with illustrations of relevant characters are provided for all 12 species present in Central Amazonia. The immatures of Simuliidae were distributed in ways that were distinct to each species, forming groups of species differentiated by the measured habitat characteristics.