Trends in Taxonomy of Chagas Disease Vectors (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae): From Linnaean to Integrative Taxonomy

Abstract

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted mainly by members of the subfamily Triatominae. There are currently 157 species, grouped into 18 genera and five tribes. Most descriptions of triatomine species are based on classical taxonomy. Facing evolutionary (cryptic speciation and phenotypic plasticity) and taxonomic (more than 190 synonymizations) problems, it is evident that integrative taxonomy studies are an important and necessary trend for this group of vectors. Almost two-and-a-half centuries after the description of the first species, we present for the first time the state-of-the-art taxonomy of the whole subfamily, covering from the initial classic studies to the use of integrative taxonomy.

Do not judge a book by its cover: would Triatoma tibiamaculata (Pinto, 1926) belong to Triatoma Laporte, 1832, or to Panstrongylus Berg, 1879, with misleading homoplasies?

“…Systematics has contributed to the correct identification of triatomines and consequently to the surveillance activities of vector control programs [ 2 , 3 ]. However, in the face of evolutionary events (cryptic speciation and phenotypic plasticity [ 4 ]) and associated taxonomic problems, in most cases, with classical taxonomy [ 5 , 6 ] (based on the morphological characterization of the species [ 3 , 6 ]), > 190 synonymizations have occurred in the Triatominae subfamily [ 7 ]. This highlights the importance of integrative taxonomy for the description of new species [ 6 ], as performed by Dorn et al [ 8 ], Lima-Cordón et al [ 9 ] and Alevi et al [ 10 ].…”

“…Currently, 157 species are described in the subfamily Triatominae (with 154 extant species and three fossil species), grouped into 18 genera and 5 tribes [ 6 – 12 ]. In Brazil, > 60 species are distributed among the following genera: Alberprosenia Martínez & Carcavallo, 1977, Belminus Stål, 1859, Microtriatoma Prosen & Martínez, 1952, Parabelminus Lent, 1943, Cavernicola Barber, 1937, Psammolestes Bergroth, 1911, Rhodnius Stål, 1859, Eratyrus Stål, 1859, Panstrongylus Berg, 1879, and Triatoma Laporte, 1832 [ 7 ].…”

Infection susceptibility and vector competence of Rhodnius robustus Larrousse, 1927 and R. pictipes Stal, 1872 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) for strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) I, II and IV

“…The vectors of CD are arthropods belonging to the Triatominae subfamily, which are distributed in five tribes and 18 genera, encompassing around 157 species (154 living species and three fossils) [ 12 – 16 ]. The genera Panstrongylus and Triatoma Laporte, 1832, as well as the genus Rhodnius , play an important role in the epidemiology of CD.…”

“…The genera Panstrongylus and Triatoma Laporte, 1832, as well as the genus Rhodnius , play an important role in the epidemiology of CD. The genus Rhodnius comprises 21 species [ 16 – 18 ], including R. robustus and R. pictipes Stal, 1872 , which inhabit different species of wild and peri-urban palm trees. The winged adults can invade human dwellings and their dependencies without colonizing them [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Morphological Stasis in Time? A Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis Study Using Geometric Morphometrics in the Long Run

“…Currently, there are more than 155 triatomine species, all considered to be potential vectors of T. cruzi [ 4 , 5 ]. In Brazil, a diverse fauna of triatomines is recorded, many of them composing species complexes.…”