| Sand flies Temporal range: Barremian[1]–Recent
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|---|---|
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| Phlebotomus papatasi | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Psychodidae |
| Subfamily: | Phlebotominae Rondani, 1840 |
The Phlebotominae are a subfamily of the family Psychodidae. In several countries, their common name is sandfly, but that name is also applied to other flies. The Phlebotominae include many genera of blood-feeding (hematophagous) flies, including the primary vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis and pappataci fever.
Sand flies are small; a body size of about 3 mm in length is typical for many species, which aids them in escaping notice. Their bite is not always felt, but leaves a small round, reddish bump that starts itching hours or days later. Use of insect repellent is recommended in areas where sand flies are present.
- ^ Azar, Nel, Solignac, Paicheler, Bouchet (1999). "New genera and species of psychodoid flies from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Lebanon". Palaeontology. 42 (6): 1101. Bibcode:1999Palgy..42.1101A. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00112.