Influence of mating on ovarian follicle development in Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834)

Abstract

This work examines the influence of mating on ovarian follicle development in Triatoma infestans. The observations were carried out on both virgin and mated females, which were killed at various times after their emergence. There was no difference in the ovarian development of both experimental groups during the first gonadotrophic cycle. By the 7th day mated females as well as virgin females showed vitellogenic oocytes. The coriogenesis and ovulation process began on the 13th day after imaginal moulting. However we could observe that egg-laying was dependent on mating. Mated females laid eggs whereas virgin females did not lay eggs. However ovarian production was significantly greater in the mated females. It is suggested that in T. infestans mating stimulates egg-laying but it does no influence the oogenesis and ovulation process.

Effects of Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli on the Reproductive Performance of the Vector Rhodnius prolixus

“…It is important to highlight that pairs were allowed to copulate ad libitum in all treatments, even though we did not control whether uninfected insects copulated more frequently than infected ones. It is known that a greater mating frequency improves the fecundity shown by triatomine pairs [67], [68] and the possibility of consequences of trypanosome infection on bug mating performance deserves to be analyzed in further studies.…”

Phenotypic plasticity in response to food source in Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae: Triatominae)

“…This agrees with the assumption that species with high levels of plasticity in morphological and life-history traits have a great capacity to deal with changing and highly variable environments. Most of the studies on different aspects of the blood-sucking bug T. infestans showed evidence of the high potential of this species as vector of Chagas disease (e.g., Asin and Crocco de Ayerbe, 1992;Catalá de Montenegro, 1989;Guarneri et al, 2000;Zeledón, 1983). However, to our knowledge, this is the first study that examined if the quality of blood ingested during nymph instars and adult stages induces phenotypic plasticity in head morphometry and if there are full-sib family-based differences in the expression of phenotypic plasticity in this species.…”

Influence of the quality and quantity of blood ingested on reproductive parameters and life-span in Triatoma infestans (Klug)

“…Besides blood meal ingestion, mating is a stimulus that appears to enhance egg production. The number of matings promotes more numerous ovipositions and increases fertility (Asin and Crocco de Ayerbe, 1992;Daflon-Teixeira et al, 2009;Mundal, 1978;Stoka et al, 1987).…”