The energy budget of Triatoma phyllosoma (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) under laboratory conditions

COLLIER, B., C. BOSQUE, E. RODRIGUEZ AND J. E. RABINOVICH

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Lugar: Lanham; Año: 1977 p. 425 - 433

0022-2585

An energy budget was constructed for Triatoma phyllosoma feeding on laboratory mice. For each instar, determinations were made of the amount of blood ingested, assimilation efficiency, and the apportionment of the energy assimilated into growth, egg production, and metabolism through the molt cycle. Through the 5 instars, 5752 joules were ingested. Of this, 41.5% was used in net growth and 23.0% in metabolism, 29.1 % was unassimilated, and 6.4% was lost in exuviae. The fraction of energy used in metabolism did not change appreciably until ins tar V, when it increased. This increase was accompanied by a drop in energy used in growth. Assimilation efficiency was about 75% but decreased slightly from instar to instar. About 12,713 joules were contained in eggs produced by a female of average longevity. Gross efficiency of production was about 56% for ins tars I-IV, but fell to 38% for ins tar V. Efficiency of egg production was about 48%. These figures are similar to those reported in the literature for other hemipterans and homopterans.