title: Description and characterization of the melanic morphotype of Rhodnius nasutus Stål, 1859 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For the first time we provide the description of the melanic (dark) morphotype of Rhodnius nasutus and determine the pattern of genetic inheritance for this characteristic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dark morph R. nasutus specimens were crossbred with standard (typically patterned) R. nasutus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We present the first occurrence of the melanic morphotype in the genus Rhodnius. The crossbreeding results demonstrate that the inheritance pattern of this characteristic follows Mendel's simple laws of segregation and an independent assortment of alleles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phenotypic variation of R. nasutus reinforces the heterogeneity found in the Triatominae. Descriptions of new species in this subfamily require rigorous validation criteria.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Triatomíneos e Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, BRAZIL.
authors.forename: Fernando Braga Stehling
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Antioquia, Sede de Investigaciones Universitarias, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaramillo-O
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Triatomíneos e Epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, BRAZIL.
authors.forename: Liléia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diotaiuti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D040582:Inheritance Patterns / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics*; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins