Combined phylogenetic and morphometric information to delimit and unify the Triatoma brasiliensis species complex and the Brasiliensis subcomplex

Abstract

"Triatoma brasiliensis species complex" was defined as a monophyletic group of the species: T. brasiliensis, T. juazeirensis, T. melanica, and T. sherlocki. An alternative grouping scheme proposed the concept of "Brasiliensis subcomplex" which included the former species together with T. melanocephala, T. petrocchiae, T. lenti, T. tibiamaculata, and T. vitticeps. To evaluate the relationship among these taxa we combined the results obtained with four mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, COI and Cytb, adding to 1811bp) and geometric morphometric analysis of wings and heads. Panstrongylus megistus was included in the analysis as it was previously found related to T. tibiamaculata, T. melanocephala and T. vitticeps. The results of both molecular and morphometric approaches clearly grouped the species analyzed into two monophyletic units, supported by both genetic and wing variability. The first one (G1) comprises the four species originally included in the T. brasiliensis species complex plus T. lenti and T. petrocchiae. The second group (G2) was composed by T. melanocephala, T. tibiamaculata and T. vitticeps, and remarkably, P. megistus if considering wing variability and phylogenetic results. Nevertheless, geometric morphometrics of heads provided a quantitative measurement that discriminates Panstrongylus from the Triatoma species based on the position of the antennal insertion relative to eyes, as it is used as the generic distinctive character. The discrepancy among approaches questions the validity of this character to define Panstrongylus genus. Independently of the chosen group definition -"T. brasiliensis species complex" or "Brasiliensis subcomplex"-we propose to delimit it to species of G1 that are all associated with the Caatinga biome in the Brazilian Northeast. G2 are the ones associated with the Atlantic Forest biome.

Multiple Approaches to Address Potential Risk Factors of Chagas Disease Transmission in Northeastern Brazil

“…passed through a taxonomic revision, and all "species" south of the São Francisco River were afterward recognized as independent evolutionary units of a species complex. 16,39 Wood and rocks have cracks that can provide shelter for T. brasiliensis breeding, greatly favoring infestation. 40,41 Studies carried out in rural areas of nearby sites in Jaguaruana 33 and Russas 12,40,42 municipalities have demonstrated that in the man-made environments, the triatomine captures are most productive in goat/sheep corrals, henhouses, and tile/ brick/wood piles.…”

Identifying Chagas disease vectors using Elliptic Fourier Descriptors of body contour: A case for the cryptic dimidiata complex

“…The identi cation of triatomine species has usually been carried out using traditional morphometry [11,14,22,23]. However, the use of geometric morphometry has led to new techniques for evaluating morphological characters in a taxonomic context; it complements the use of other methods of discrimination [24] and has been used for the recognition of very close species with a long history of controversy among taxonomists [25] and apparently cryptic species, including some of the Triatoma genus [7,26,27,28,29,30,31,32].…”

Entomological survey in the state of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil, reveals intradomiciliary colonization of Triatoma brasiliensis macromelasoma

“…Triatoma brasiliensis is a complex of seven species: i) T. brasiliensis, comprised of two subspecies [ T. b. brasiliensis and T. b. macromelasoma (Galvão, 1956)], ii) T. juazeirensis (Costa & Felix, 2007, iii) T. sherlocki (Papa, Jurberg, Carcavallo, Cerqueira & Barata, 2002, iv) T. melanica (Neiva & Lent, 1941, v) T. lenti (Sherlock & Serafim, 1967, vi) T. bahiensis (Sherlock & Serafim, 1967, and vii) T. petrocchiae (Pinto & Barreto, 1925) 8,9 . …”