Guilherme Cecilio Lima, Gabriel N DE Oliveira, Salvador P Chaves Júnior, Letícia Cristina Morelli, Gabriela N Maggio, Fernanda G G Dias, Marcela A Rodrigues, Lizandra G Magalhães, Andrey José DE Andrade, Rafael P DE Mendonça
Sand flies (Phlebotominae) are vectors of Leishmania, with moist, organic-rich soils common in caves critical for their life cycle. We investigated the sand fly fauna in Gruta do Itambé (Altinópolis, SP - Brazil), a regional ecotourism site, from March 2021 to January 2023. Monthly, ten CDC light traps were deployed during three consecutive nights. A total of 1,353 specimens were identified, predominantly of the genera Lutzomyia (81.74%) and Brumptomyia (15.15%). The most frequent species was Lu. longipalpis (74.06 %), followed by the recently described Lu. itambe (7.39 %). Given the potential role of these caves in leishmaniasis transmission, our findings support the need for entomological surveillance and individual protective measures in tourist-accessible caves.