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Article History

Received: 30 November 2025

Accepted: 28 April 2026

First Online: 29 May 2026

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study involved trapping phlebotomine sand flies using field light traps in the Region of Murcia, Spain. No vertebrates, cephalopods or human participants were involved. Under Spanish national legislation (Royal Decree 53/2013 implementing Directive 2010/63/EU), research limited to non-regulated invertebrates does not require approval by an animal ethics committee. All procedures complied with Spanish and European wildlife-conservation regulations (Law 42/2007 on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity; Royal Decree 139/2011 listing and cataloguing protected species). No endangered or protected species were collected, and sampling did not occur in restricted areas. Field collections were conducted under a scientific collecting authorization issued by the competent authority of the Region of Murcia pursuant to Regional Law 7/1995 on Wildlife. The study also adhered to the IUCN Policy Statement on Research Involving Species at Risk of Extinction and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); no CITES-listed taxa were involved.

Consent for publication: Not applicable. This study did not involve human participants or the publication of any identifiable personal data.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.