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Hidden in plain sight: discovery of sand flies in Singapore and description of four species new to science
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Hidden in plain sight: discovery of sand flies in Singapore and description of four species new to science
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Journal Article
Hidden in plain sight: discovery of sand flies in Singapore and description of four species new to science
2025
Overview
Background
Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are tiny, blood-sucking insects that are of significant public and veterinary health importance for their role in the transmission of
Leishmania
parasites, bacteria, and arboviruses. Although sand flies have been documented in most Southeast Asian countries, there are no published records confirming their presence in Singapore. Here, we present this fauna with descriptions of new species.
Methods
Sand fly species identification was confirmed using an integrative taxonomic approach that combines morphological analysis with DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial
cytochrome b (cytb)
and
cytochrome c oxidase subunit I
(COI) genes.
Results
We identified eight sand fly species, including four newly described species:
Phlebotomus seowpohi
n. sp.,
Sergentomyia leechingae
n. sp.,
Sergentomyia gubleri
n. sp., and
Sergentomyia retrocalcarae
n. sp. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the new
Phlebotomus
species, belonging to subgenus
Euphlebotomus
, is closely related to
Phlebotomus argentipes
, an important vector of
Leishmania donovani
from the South Asian region.
Conclusions
The potential risk of leishmaniasis in Singapore is compounded by the recent detection of antibodies to
Leishmania infantum
in local free-roaming dogs. Therefore, continuous monitoring is essential to assess and manage the risk of disease agent transmission, support the development of an early warning system, and enable timely and targeted public health interventions. The findings of this study contribute to the global knowledge on sand flies and enhance our understanding of local fauna diversity and distribution.
Graphical Abstract
Publisher
BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,BMC
Subject
/ Animals
/ Biomedical and Life Sciences
/ Electron Transport Complex IV - genetics
/ Female
/ Insect Vectors - anatomy & histology
/ Insect Vectors - classification
/ Leishmaniasis - transmission
/ Male
/ Phlebotomus - anatomy & histology
/ Phlebotomus - classification
/ Psychodidae - anatomy & histology
/ Psychodidae - classification
/ Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science
/ Virology
