Ultraestrutura e capacidade vetorial de espécies do “subcomplexo rubrovaria” (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to morphologically characterize the external appendages (buccula, rostrum; stridulatory groove; scutellum of male legs and genitalia of females) Triatoma carcavalloi, Triatoma circummaculata and Triatoma rubrovaria compare the morphology and morphometry of exocórios bodies and opercula of eggs through optical and scanning electron microscopy, besides examining the bionomic characteristics of T. carcavalloi in laboratory conditions, providing subsidies to assess the vectorial capacity of this species. Morphostructural the differences of adults were illustrated in scutellar region where only one species, T. circummaculata, presented in the harth form median depression. In the analyzes of the cephalic region, stridulatory groove is in the form of "U" shaped and T. circummaculata "V" T. carcavalloi and T. rubrovaria the buccula and T. carcavalloi described how to T. rubrovaria "U" and T. circummaculata "V". Already the rostrum of T. carcavalloi, T. circummaculata and T. rubrovaria presented two side slits 1 + 1 at the apex. Were analyzed and highlighted significant differences in the length, width and diameter of the body and lid of the eggs of T. rubrovaria, T. carcavalloi and T. circummaculata. In the femurs of the legs of the three species, in both sexes a pair of subapical denticles were found. The spongy pits were found only in males, tibia of fore and middle legs. Regarding the biology of T. carcavalloi, the average incubation period of the eggs in T. carcavalloi was 22.7 days. The largest number of eggs / female / week was observed during the warmer months and the eggs that failed to hatch were fertile. The first day of blood meal was 3.13 days after hatching, on average. The intermoult period N1-N2 averaged de18,52 days; N2-N3 was 62.77 days; N3-N4 was 86.93 days; N4-N5 and N5 was 119.05 days, adult was 193.43 days. The overall average of feeds throughout the nymphal development was 13.4. The results achieved for starvation resistance indicated that the nymphs of 3rd, 4th and 5th stages have higher resistance than adults, and in this case the males were less resistant than females. The highest mortality rate was recorded in N3 (22.2%). The median survival was 25.6 weeks for adultos.O total life cycle was long, averaging 503.4 dias. A general evaluation of the results showed that in all studied morphological characters there were significant differences in all three species, putting each species in its specific status. However, the species that differs in the largest number of features, particularly the size of the structures is T. circummaculata. The data obtained in addition to expanding the knowledge of T. carcavalloi bionômico contribute to the assessment of the possible role of this species in the transmission of T. cruzi.