ABSTRACT
An investigation was carried out in Ahar district, [a new focus of visceral leishmaniasis], Eastern Azerbaijan, North-West of Iran in order to determine the vector[s] of the disease, during the summer of 2003 s and -flies were collected using sticky papers, CDC light traps and aspirators. All of the collected s and -flies were dissected in a drop of normal saline for surveying of promastigotes. Head and two last abdomen segments of-s and flies were mounted in a drop of Puri's Medium for species identification. Totally 215 s and flies were collected including: Phlebotomus k and elakii [57.2%], P.perfiliewi [18.1%], P.caucasicus [11.2%], P. sergenti [7.9%], P. papatasi [3.3%] and P.[adlerius] sp.[2.3%]. Only 1 of 24 P. caucasicus species [4.2%] was found naturally infected with parasite. This is the first infection report of P. caucasicus in this region. Some behavioral aspects of the mentioned s and fly have been discussed in details