Influence of the Blood Meal Source on the Development ofTriatoma infestans,Triatoma brasiliensis,Triatoma sordida,andTriatoma pseudomaculata(Heteroptera, Reduviidae)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of the blood meal source on the life cycle and reproductive development of female Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834), Triatoma brasiliensis Neiva, 1911, Triatoma sordida (Stal, 1859), and Triatoma pseudomaculata Corrga & Espfinola, 1964. In all triatomine species studied the life cycle was shorter for the groups fed on mice than for those fed on pigeons, the range of differences being between 1.5 times (T pseudomaculata and T. infestans) and 2.4 times (T brasiliensis). The mortality rate of nymphs during the life cycle tended to be greater in insects fed on pigeons than in those fed on mice, the differences for T. brasiliensis being statistically significant. Females of T sordida and T pseudomaculata had a greater fecundity than those of T. infestans and T. brasiliensis independently of the blood meal source. The differences of fecundity observed probably reflect differences in the availability of blood in the silvatic ecotopes of these species, meals being more frequent for T. infestans and T brasiliensis, which live at high densities in association with rodents in highly stable ecotopes. Because T. sordida and T. pseudomaculata live in more unstable ecotopes with fewer sources of blood they form small sparse colonies and invest more energy in reproduction than maintenance.

Biology of Triatoma klugi Carcavallo, Jurberg, Lent & Galvão 2001 (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) under Laboratory Conditions: Effects of Distinct Blood Sources and Susceptibility to Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli

“…Development of T. infestans and T. sordida fed on pigeons or in mice showed a higher mortality rate for 1st instar nymphs (Guarneri et al 2000).…”

“…It is well established in the literature that food sources and environmental conditions may have influence on triatomine development (Juarez 1970, Gomes et al 1990, Guarneri et al 2000.…”

“…Although triatomines can fed in a variety of hosts (mammalian, avian, reptilian and insects) in natural ecotopes, several studies carried out under laboratory conditions demonstrated that insects fed in mammals presented a shorter life cycle when compared with those fed on other blood sources (Juarez 1970, Guarneri et al 2000, Lorosa et al 2000.…”

Biology of three species of the Meccus phyllosomus complex (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) fed on blood of hens and rabbits

“…However, it is possible to arrive to valid conclusions when methodologies and conditions are very similar. Some authors (Juarez 1970, Diotaiuti & Dias 1987, Lima-Gomes et al 1990, Braga et al 1998, Guarneri et al 2000a have published that the life cycle of at least seven Triatominae species were shorter on cohorts reared on mammals (mice) than on those reared on birds (chicken, pigeons or hens). However, the only two published researches about Meccus species (M. picturatus and M. longipennis), report no significant (p > 0.05) difference when cohorts fed on hens and fed on rabbits or fed on rats were compared (Martínez-Ibarra et al 2003a).…”

Comparación del ciclo de vida de Rhodnius colombiensis Moreno, Jurberg & Galvão, 1999 y Rhodnius prolixus Stal, 1872(Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) en condiciones de laboratorio

“…Con relación a la variación del ciclo de vida ocasionada por las diferencias en las fuentes de alimento, varios autores han comparado los ciclos de vida de al menos siete especies de triatominos, encontrando que fueron más cortos cuando se alimentaron sobre mamíferos (ratones) que cuando se alimentaron sobre aves (gallinas, pollos o palomas) (30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35). Sin embargo, el ciclo de vida reportado en R. neivai alimentado sobre conejos fue más prolongado que el de la misma especie alimentada sobre gallinas (36).…”