Genetic Relationships and Spatial Genetic Structure Among Populations of Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Colombia and Venezuela Based on Mitochondrial Cytochrome-b Sequences

Abstract

One hundred twenty Rhodnius prolixus (Stal) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) specimens from 6 Colombian Departments and 1 Venezuelan State had 594-bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene sequenced to improve the understanding of evolutionary processes that shape the main vector of Chagas disease. The levels of genetic diversity for this species were low-medium with reference to other bugs. The genetic heterogeneity among the populations was very limited which means there has been extensive gene flow and/or very recent split processes. The overall sample as well as some individual populations showed evidence of recent population expansions (with the exception of Arauca, which yielded evidence of a bottleneck for a mismatch distribution). This expansion (11,000 or 2000-25,000 year ago depending of two procedures employed) coincides with the ending of the last intense glacial conditions during the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene that had a warmer and wetter climate. Some of our autocorrelation analyses (AIDA and Genetic Landscape Interpolation Analysis) indicated local patches of high genetic similarity but no globally significant spatial structure. We did show an original haplotype distributed throughout the entirety of the geographical area studied.

Genetic diversity in a restricted‐dispersal kissing bug: The centre–periphery hypothesis halfway

“…Most kissing bugs have epidemiological relevance, since they are vectors of the aetiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi (Correa et al, 2020). Studies have assessed the gene flow and population genetic structure of triatomines, but on a limited geographical scale and without addressing variation in genetic diversity in the geographical range of the species (Luna‐Marín et al, 2016; Pérez de Rosas et al, 2017; Pfeiler et al, 2006; Pizarro et al, 2008; Ramírez et al, 2005). For example, Luna‐Marín et al, (2016) studied the genetic relationships between seven populations of the vector Rhodnius prolixus in Colombia and Venezuela, finding a lack of genetic differentiation and low genetic diversity in the cyt‐ b gene.…”

“…Most kissing bugs have epidemiological relevance, since they are vectors of the aetiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi (Correa et al, 2020). Studies have assessed the gene flow and population genetic structure of triatomines, but on a limited geographical scale and without addressing variation in genetic diversity in the geographical range of the species (Luna-Marín et al, 2016;Pérez de Rosas et al, 2017;Pfeiler et al, 2006;Pizarro et al, 2008;Ramírez et al, 2005).…”

“…For example, Luna-Marín et al, (2016) studied the genetic relationships between seven populations of the vector Rhodnius prolixus in Colombia and Venezuela, finding a lack of genetic differentiation and low genetic diversity in the cyt-b gene.…”

“…For example, Luna-Marín et al, (2016) Mepraia spinolai is an insect widely distributed in north-central Chile, covering per-arid, arid and semi-arid Mediterranean climates (Frias-Lasserre, 2010) and considered the main wild vector of Chagas disease in Chile (Botto-Mahan et al, 2005). Unlike other triatomine species, M. spinolai presents a remarkable wing polymorphism in which adult females are invariably wingless, while adult males can be winged or wingless (Frías-Lasserre et al, 2017).…”