Chemical taxonomy of the sordida complex: Hydrocarbon fingerprints

CALDERÓN FERNÁNDEZ G; JUÁREZ MP

Misiones, Argentina

Congreso; XL Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones Bioquímicas; 2004

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular

Hydrocarbon fingerprints were used as a taxonomic tool to differenciate T. sordida, T. garciabesi and T. guasayana populations from Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil and Paraguay. Compositional and structural analyses were performed by capillary gas chromatography (CGC), and CGC coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). Intraspecific variations were analyzed by ordenation and classification multivariate techniques. As in other triatomins, the prevailing structures were mostly saturated, with straight components up to 33 carbons, whereas methyl-branched structures with one, two, and three CH3 groups inserted in terminal position (3-) or internally. n-Nonacosane was the major component in the complex. T. guasayana specimens showed homogeneous profiles regarding their geographical distribution, and easily distinguishables from the other species of the sordida complex. T. sordida showed complex hydrocarbon fingerprints with high intraspecific variability, significantly different patterns were detected mostly in Bolivia. Insects from neighbouring areas in Argentina and Paraguay were classified together. T. garciabesi from Salta (Ar) showed profiles with moderate amount of methyl-branched components, closely similar to T. sordida from Cochabamba area in Bolivia.