title: First cytogenetic study of Cavernicola pilosa Barber, 1937 (Hemiptera, Triatominae).
abstract: Cavernicola pilosa is a triatomine species that lives in caves and feeds on bat blood. This vector has a wide geographical distribution, and is found in Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. Little is known about the reproductive biology of this species, because most previous studies have only characterized its morphology, morphometry, ecology, and epidemiology. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain preliminary data related to spermatogenesis in C. pilosa by conducting cytogenetic analysis. Analysis of the heterochromatic pattern of C. pilosa during the initial prophases revealed that heterochromatic blocks are only present in the sex chromosomes. Based on the analyses of the meiotic metaphase and prophases, we found that the sex determination system of C. pilosa is XY and the chromosomes are holocentric. C. pilosa spermatids are filamentous and have long flagella. It was not possible to detect corpuscle or filament heteropycnosis in spermatids of this species. The initial cytogenetic data presented in this study are important in characterizing the spermatogenesis and heterochromatic patterns of C. pilosa. Our results suggest that adaptation to troglodytism did not result in differences in spermatogenesis in this vector.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Araraquara, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: K C C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Alevi
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Araraquara, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Fundação Casa da Cultura de Marabá, Marabá, PA, Brasil.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.affiliation: Fundação Casa da Cultura de Marabá, Marabá, PA, Brasil.
authors.forename: N C B V
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Atzingen
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M T V
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Azeredo-Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Araraquara, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rosa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D006570:Heterochromatin; D008677:Metaphase; D011123:Polyploidy; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D014225:Triatominae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D006570:Heterochromatin