[Ecology of sandflies in Serra do Mar, Itaguaí, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I - Sandfly fauna and prevalence of the species in collections sites and method of capture]

A two-year investigation was conducted in Itaguai, State of Rio de Janeiro, an area with cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, in order to study the ecology of sandflies and their habits and role as parasitic vector for men and animals. Capturing took place at three sites: domiciliary (human bait, walls, and light traps); peridomiciliary (walls, from baits used simultaneously: humans, dogs, and chickens; and light traps); and sylvatic (human bait and light traps). A total of 10,172 sandflies were captured, belonging to 17 species of genuses Brumptomyia França & Parrot, 1921 and Lutzomyia França, 1924. L. intermedia was predominant, 100 m above sea level, as compared to L. migonei and L. fischeri. In a drier area 300 m above sea level L. migonei was prevalent, followed by L. longipalpis and L. fischeri. The species which presented the greatest endophily was L. fischeri, showing a certain degree of eclecticism regarding the biting site. L. intermedia and L. migonei proved to be more exophilic. L. intermedia was considered to be potentially the main transmitter of the disease because of its prevalence, anthropophily, and the fact it is known to be a vector of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis in other areas of the Southeastern region of Brazil. L. fischeri, because of its anthropophily, might also be involved.