Molecular and cytogenetic evidence for sibling species in the Chagas disease vector Triatoma maculata

Abstract

Triatoma maculata (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) occurs across dry‐to‐semiarid ecoregions of northern South America, where it transmits Trypanosoma cruzi, causative agent of Chagas disease. Using 207 field‐caught specimens from throughout the species' range, mitochondrial(mt) DNA sequence data, and cytogenetics, we investigated inter‐population genetic diversity and the phylogenetic affinities of T. maculata. Mitochondrial DNA sequence analyses (cytb and nd4) disclosed a monophyletic T. maculata clade encompassing three distinct geographic groups: Roraima formation (Guiana shield), Orinoco basin, and Magdalena basin (trans‐Andean). Between‐group cytb distances (11.0–12.8%) were larger than the ~7.5% expected for sister Triatoma species; the most recent common ancestor of these T. maculata groups may date back to the late Miocene. C‐heterochromatin distribution and the sex‐chromosome location of 45S ribosomal DNA clusters both distinguished Roraima bugs from Orinoco and Magdalena specimens. Cytb genealogies reinforced that T. maculata is not sister to Triatoma pseudomaculata and probably represents an early (middle‐late Miocene) offshoot of the ‘South American Triatomini lineage’. In sum, we report extensive genetic diversity and deep phylogeographic structuring in T. maculata, suggesting that it may consist of a complex of at least three sibling taxa. These findings have implications for the systematics, population biology, and perhaps medical relevance of T. maculata sensu lato.