Triatoma sordida (Stål, 1859) (Hemiptera, Triatominae): a Chagas Disease vector or a complex of vectors?

• Grant number: 18/12039-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Kaio Cesar Chaboli Alevi
• Grantee: Isadora de Freitas Bittinelli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Triatoma sordida is one of the main species with vector competence for the transmission of Chagas' disease in Brazil, which also occurs in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Several studies indicate a polymorphism in T. sordida, which led to the suggestion of the cryptic speciation phenomena in this species and, above all, the recent characterization of three possible different taxa, namely T. sordida sensu stricto, T. sordida Argentina and T. sordida La Paz. Taking into account that the realization of experimental crosses can help in different aspects, such as the understanding of taxonomy, systematics and isolation mechanisms that limit gene flow, as well as the possibility of evaluating the role of natural hybridization in the generation of new genetic variants (which may lead to adaptive evolution and or the foundation of new evolutionary lineages), the present project aims to analyze the possible barriers of reproductive isolation (pre or post zygotic) present between T. sordida sensu stricto, T. sordida Argentina and T. sordida La Paz, by means of experimental crosses and analysis of the resulting hybrids until the second generation (F2), with emphasis on the analysis of the evolutionary dynamics of experimental crosses (interspecific copulation, oviposition, hatching and hybrids development), as well as in the analysis of the reproductive viability of the hybrids (spermatogenesis and morphology of the male and female gonads). These results will allow elucidating evolutionary and taxonomic questions about T. sordida and the process of cryptic speciation.

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CHABOLI ALEVI, KAIO CESAR; DE OLIVEIRA, JADER; CANIS GARCIA, ARIANE CRISTINA; CRISTAL, DANIEL CESARETTO; GRZYB DELGADO, LUIZA MARIA; BITTINELLI, ISADORA DE FREITAS; DOS REIS, YAGO VISINHO; RAVAZI, AMANDA; BORTOLOZO DE OLIVEIRA, ANA BEATRIZ; GALVAO, CLEBER; et al. Triatoma rosai sp. nov. (Hemiptera, Triatominae): A New Species of Argentinian Chagas Disease Vector Described Based on Integrative Taxonomy. INSECTS, v. 11, n. 12, DEC 2020. (18/12039-2, 17/05015-7, 18/24116-1, 20/07917-0)

MADEIRA, FERNANDA FERNANDEZ; DOS REIS, YAGO VISINHO; BITTINELLI, ISADORA DE FREITAS; GRZYB DELGADO, LUIZA MARIA; DE OLIVEIRA, JADER; MENDONCA, VAGNER JOSE; FIGUEIREDO MOREIRA, FELIPE FERRAZ; VILELA DE AZEREDO-OLIVEIRA, MARIA TERCILIA; DA ROSA, JOAO ARISTEU; CHABOLI ALEVI, KAIO CESAR. Genetic Structure of Brazilian Populations of Triatoma sordida (Stal, 1859) (Hemiptera, Triatominae) by Means of Chromosomal Markers. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, v. 100, n. 4, p. 907-910, 2019. (17/05015-7, 18/12039-2, 14/07706-9, 13/19764-0)

MADEIRA, FERNANDA FERNANDEZ; GRZYB DELGADO, LUIZA MARIA; BITTINELLI, ISADORA DE FREITAS; DE OLIVEIRA, JADER; RAVAZI, AMANDA; DOS REIS, YAGO VISINHO; BORTOLOZO DE OLIVEIRA, ANA BEATRIZ; CRISTAL, DANIEL CESARETTO; GALVAO, CLEBER; VILELA DE AZEREDO-OLIVEIRA, MARIA TERCILIA; et al. Triatoma sordida (Hemiptera, Triatominae) from La Paz, Bolivia: an incipient species or an intraspecific chromosomal polymorphism?. PARASITES & VECTORS, v. 14, n. 1, OCT 27 2021. (17/05015-7, 19/17581-2, 18/12039-2, 18/24116-1)

CARIS GARCIA, ARIANE CRISTINA; DE OLIVEIRA, JADER; CRISTAL, DANIEL CESARETTO; GRZYB DELGADO, LUIZA MARIA; BITTINELLI, ISADORA DE FREITAS; GALVAO, CLEBER; GONZALEZ BRITEZ, NILSA ELIZABETH; CARRASCO, HERNAN JOSE; DA ROSA, JOAO ARISTEU; CHABOLI ALEVI, KAIO CESAR. Intraspecific and Interspecific Phenotypic Differences Confirm the Absence of Cryptic Speciation in Triatoma sordida (Hemiptera, Triatominae). American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, v. 105, n. 6, p. 1759-1766, DEC 2021. (19/17581-2, 18/24116-1, 17/05015-7, 18/12039-2)