Ecology of Triatoma rubrovaria (Hemiptera, Triatominae) in wild and peridomestic environments of Uruguay

Abstract

This paper describes population structure, spatial distribution and habitat selection of wild and peridomestic populations of Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843). Field studies were carried out at Las Piedras and La Bolsa in the Northern Department of Artigas, Uruguay. A semicircular sampling area, divided in seven or eight triangular sectors was sequentially examined from October 1990 to November 1991. At Las Piedras (typical wild habitat) 1063 T. rubrovaria bugs were collected from 84% of the rocky outcroops ("pedregales"). Abundance varied by season peaking in October-November (spring). Throughout the year, most of the population was made up of third, fourth and fifth instar nymphs; adults were found from October to March. In the peridomestic environment of La Bolsa, however T. rubrovaria was less common and showed a more irregular instar distribution. Colonized ecotopes, were those close to houses. In both sites T. rubrovaria was mainly associated with the geckonid Homonota uruguayensis and the cockroach Blaptica dubia.

Monitoring the domiciliary and peridomiciliary invasion process of Triatoma rubrovaria in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“…Aragão (1983) also suggests that domestication would depend on the existence or availability of a niche to which the species would already be adapted. As mentioned by Salvatella et al (1995), sylvatic populations of T. rubrovaria live amongst rockpiles, so that peridomestic habitats such as stone walls and intradomestic habitats, such as cracks in stone walled houses, would seem quite similar to its original sylvatic ecotopes. It may be that T. rubrovaria is a species which presents preadaptive characteristics to the domiciliary ecotope, since from the first surveys, before the control measures (1976-1984; Fig.…”

“…Active domestic invasion by fly- Atlantic Ocean ing adults of P. megistus is also common elsewhere in southern Brazil in the warmer months, but does not characterize domiciliation, which can only be considered after the finding of other developmental stages of the insects (eggs and nymphs) inside the houses (Forattini et al 1970). Salvatella et al (1995) emphasize that in Uruguay, adults of T. rubrovaria were only collected in the warmer months from October to March, so that the occurrence of nymphs and eggs in houses would be enough to suspect incipient domiciliation in this species.…”

“…It is considered a generalist species, feeding from a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts (Salvatella et al 1994(Salvatella et al , 1995. In Brazil, it has been confirmed only in the southern States of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul (RS).…”

Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard 1843): tábua de vida das ninfas, duração das formas e oviposição das fêmeas

“…No Uruguai 84% dos T. rubrovaria coletados são encontrados em pedras 11 . Exemplares da espécie podem ser capturados também em dependências peridomiciliares bastante peculiares, tais como: cercas, muros ou paredes construídas com pedras sobrepostas e, apenas ocasionalmente, no interior de casas localizadas nas proximidades dos criadouros 12 Em nosso meio, as dificuldades crescentes na obtenção de boas colônias do T. infestans, necessárias à efetivação dos xenodiagnósticos de rotina, seria motivo de incentivo à procura de novas alternativas.…”

Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843) (Hemiptera-Reduviidae-Triatominae) III: patterns of feeding, defecation and resistance to starvation

“…In Brazil, its presence has been confirmed only in the southern states of Paraná (PR) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS). This species of triatomine is found mainly among exfoliate rocks known as 'pedregales' (Salvatella et al 1995). Lent (1942) has earlier reported T. rubrovaria (Eutriatoma rubrovaria) as a sylvatic species inhabiting rock piles and may rarely be found in human dwellings.…”