# Establishment of a laboratory colony of Pressatia choti (Diptera: Psychodidae), a suspected vector of Leishmania braziliensis

## TL;DR

Researchers successfully created a lab colony of Pressatia choti sand flies, which may help study their role in spreading Leishmania braziliensis.

## Contribution

The first successful establishment of a laboratory colony of Pressatia choti for potential use in leishmaniasis research.

## Key findings

- A laboratory colony of Pressatia choti was successfully established.
- The life cycle of Pr. choti ranged from 31 to 56 days under controlled conditions.
- Biological parameters of Pr. choti are comparable to other neotropical sand flies.

## Abstract

Pressatia choti is a common sand fly found in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, which is suspected to be involved in the transmission of Leishmania braziliensis. Herein, we aimed to establish a Pr. choti laboratory colony.

Wild-caught female sand flies were blood fed on hamsters and maintained under controlled conditions (temperature: 26 °C; relative humidity: 70%).

Of the 301 collected female sandflies, 288 were identified as Pr. choti. The life cycle duration ranged from 31 to 56 days.

We successfully established a Pr. choti colony, whose biological parameters were similar to those of other neotropical sand flies.