title: Phenotypic variability confirmed by nuclear ribosomal DNA suggests a possible natural hybrid zone of Triatoma brasiliensis species complex.
abstract: Triatoma brasiliensis macromelasoma occurs in Pernambuco state, Brazil, which is situated between the distribution areas of Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis (north) and Triatoma juazeirensis (south). T. b. macromelasoma displays greater variations in its chromatic phenotype than either T. b. brasiliensis or T. juazeirensis, and patterns reminiscent of one or the other. Experimental crosses from each of these members of the T. brasiliensis species complex generated fertile offspring suggesting that viable hybrids could be present in nature, despite their significant genetic distances. Considering the geographical position of occurrence of the T. b. macromelasoma (in Pernambuco) it was proposed to be an area capable of supporting natural hybridization between T. b. brasiliensis and T. juazeirensis. Since phenotypic variability is expected, this study investigated the existence of intermediate chromatic phenotypes for T. b. macromelasoma in various locations in areas between the T. b. brasiliensis and T. juazeirensis occurrences. Thirteen different color patterns were for the first time characterized and nine of those displayed intermediate phenotypes. Molecular analysis performed using ribosomal DNA intergenic region, grouped all within the T. brasiliensis complex. The intermediate chromatic phenotypes, molecular analysis and experimental crosses all support the distinction of a zone of hybridization that gave rise to the T. b. macromelasoma through homoploidal evolution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biodiversidade Entomológica,Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: jcosta@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Dep. de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Univ. de Valencia, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bargues
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biodiversidade Entomológica,Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Lima
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Neiva
authors.affiliation: Entomology Branch, Div. Parasitic Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Gena G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Insetos Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gumiel
authors.affiliation: Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Genova
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética Humana, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Eco-epidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marli Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Entomology Branch, Div. Parasitic Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dotson
authors.affiliation: Centro de Des. Tecnológico em Saúde/Fiocruz, CDTS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: David William
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Provance
authors.affiliation: Univers. Est. Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Araquara, SP, Prog. de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Monitoramento Ambiental (PPGEMA), UFPB, Campus IV, Paraíba, Brazil. Electronic address: almeida_ce@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Dep. de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Univ. de Valencia, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.affiliation: Dep. de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Univ. de Valencia, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mas-Coma
authors.affiliation: Institute de Recherche pour le Development, Montpelier, France.
authors.forename: Jean Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dujardin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D010641:Phenotype; D058974:Phylogeography; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D014224:Triatoma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal
keywords: Epigenetics; Hybridization; Phenotype; Speciation; Triatominae