title: Biology of three species of North American Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) fed on rabbits.
abstract: Aspects related to hatching, lifetime, number of blood meals for molting, mortality, feeding time, and postfeeding defecation delay were evaluated and compared in each instar of three North American Triatominae: Triatoma gerstaeckeri, Triatoma lecticularia and Triatoma protracta, all of them fed on rabbits. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found among the three species regarding mean hatching rate, which was close to 20 days. Egg-to-adult development times were significantly shorter (p < 0.05) for T. lecticularia. Number of blood meals for molting to next instar ranged from one to five for T. protracta, and from one to six for T. gerstaeckeri and T. lecticularia. Mortality rates were higher in younger nymphs of T. lecticularia and T. protracta, while rates in T. gerstaeckeri were higher in fifth-instar nymphs. Mean feeding time was longest in T. gerstaeckeri, followed by T. lecticularia. More than twice the number of T. gerstaeckeri nymphs completed the development process, if compared to the nymphs from the other two species. Defecation delay was less than 10 min for T. lecticularia, T. protracta and the youngest nymphs of T. gerstaeckeri. Results point out that these three species may be important potential vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi for human populations, in areas of Mexico where these species are currently present.
authors.affiliation: Area de Entomología Médica, Centro Universitario del Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. aibarra@cusur.udg.mx
authors.forename: José Alejandro
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez-Ibarra
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alejandre-Aguilar
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paredes-González
authors.forename: Miguel Alejandro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez-Silva
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solorio-Cibrián
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nogueda-Torres
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trujillo-Contreras
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Novelo-López
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000502:physiology; D008800:Mexico; D011817:Rabbits; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014225:Triatominae / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*