Phenotypic and genetic variation of Triatoma costalimai (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to study intraspecific variation in Triatoma costalimai , a potential vector of Chagas disease present in Brazil and Bolivia. METHODS: We analyzed phenotypic (connexivum color patterns, wing morphometrics) and genetic variation (16S mtDNA) of three Brazilian T. costalimai populations. We compared 16S sequences with those of putative Bolivian T. costalimai and its sister species, T. jatai . RESULTS: Brazilian populations had different connexivum color patterns and forewing shapes. A 16S mtDNA haplotype network showed a clear separation of Brazilian T. costalimai from both T. jatai and Bolivian T. costalimai . CONCLUSIONS: We report considerable variability in T. costalimai populations.

Triatoma costalimai, a neglected vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Cerrado savannas of South America: A comprehensive review

“…covering most of the known range of the species; see Fig. 1 ) seem to be larger than the distances between those bona fide T. costalimai and T. jatai ( Vendrami, 2017 ; Vendrami et al., 2021 ). We also noticed that a specimen labeled as “ T. costalimai ” in Figure 1 of Justi et al.…”

“…2 ) ( Verano & Galvão, 1958 ; Lent & Wygodzinsky, 1979 ; Gonçalves et al., 2013 ; Galvão & Gurgel-Gonçalves, 2015 ). Although there is variation in color patterns and forewing size ( Verano & Galvão, 1958 ; Vendrami, 2017 ; Vendrami et al., 2021 ), adult T. costalimai ’s phenotype is overall easy to distinguish from those of its sister species, Triatoma jatai ( Teves, 2012 , 2018 ; Gonçalves et al., 2013 ), and other South American Triatoma spp. ( Verano & Galvão, 1958 ; Lent & Wygodzinsky, 1979 ; Galvão & Gurgel-Gonçalves, 2015 ).…”

“…Triatoma costalimai is a phenotypically distinct species with moderate population-level variability Verano & Galvão (1958) ; Lent & Wygodzinsky (1979) ; Gonçalves et al. (2013) ; Vendrami et al. (2021) 2.…”

“…(2021) combined DNA-sequence fragments from “T_costalimai_35” (16S, GenBank: KC248997.1 ; and 18S, GenBank: KC249101.1 ) and “T_costalimai_42” (28S, GenBank: KC249149.1 ) in ML and Bayesian analyses. Despite the mixing of sequences from two bugs that likely belong in distinct taxa (see Justi et al., 2014b ; Vendrami, 2017 ; Vendrami et al., 2021 ), these analyses recovered a relatively well-supported ( T. costalimai , T. jatai ) clade basal to another, low-resolution clade including T. pseudomaculata and allies plus T. sordida and allies, but also two species that seem to be phylogenetically more distant: T. guasayana of the ‘rubrovaria complex’ and Triatoma petrocchiae of the ‘brasiliensis complex’ ( Monteiro et al., 2018 ; Kieran et al., 2021 ).…”

Do the new triatomine species pose new challenges or strategies for monitoring Chagas disease? An overview from 1979-2021

“… 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 For example, in a natural hybrid zone identified in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil, 13 phenotypes (nine of them intermediate between T. b. brasiliensis and T. juazeirensis ) were revealed for T. brasiliensis complex, based on molecular analysis. 86 On the other hand, the possibility of the existence of new species due to the detection of genetic variations in taxa that are now considered a single taxon, such as Mepraia Mazza, Gajardo & Jörg, 1940; 87 R. pallescens Barber, 1932; 88 T. patagonica Del Ponte, 1929; 89 T. costalimai Verano & Galvão, 1958; 90 and R. ecuadoriensis , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 was demonstrated.…”