Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Jun 1995)

Ecology of Triatoma rubrovaria (Hemiptera, Triatominae) in wild and peridomestic environments of Uruguay

  • Roberto Salvatella,
  • Raquel Rosa,
  • Yester Basmadjian,
  • Andres Puime,
  • Luis Calegari,
  • Jorge Guerrero,
  • Maria Martinez,
  • Gabriela Mendaro,
  • Daniel Briano,
  • Carlos Montero,
  • Cristina Wisnivesky-Colli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02761995000300002
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 90, no. 3
pp. 325 – 328

Abstract

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This paper describes population structure, spatial distribution and habitat selection of wild and peridomestic populations of Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843). Field studies were carried out at Las Piedras and La Bolsa in the Northern Department of Artigas, Uruguay. A semicircular sampling area, divided in seven or eight triangular sectors was sequentially examined from October 1990 to November 1991. At Las Piedras (typical wild habitat) 1063 T. rubrovaria bugs were collected from 84 of the rocky outcroops ("pedregales"). Abundance varied by season peaking in October-November (spring). Throughout the year, most of the population was made up of third, fourth and fifth instar nymphs; adults were found from October to March. In the peridomestic environment of La Bolsa, however T. rubrovaria was less common and showed a more irregular instar distribution. Colonized ecotopes, were those close to houses. In both sites T. rubrovaria was mainly associated with the geckonid Homonota uruguayensis and the cockroach Blaptica dubia.

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