Effect of feeding frequency on the reproductive effi ciency of two species of Triatoma with different epidemiological importance

RODRIGUEZ CLAUDIA; LOBBIA PATRICIA; NATTERO JULIETA; CATALA SILVIA; CROCCO LILIANA

REVISTA DA SOCIEDADE BRASILEIRA DE MEDICINA TROPICAL

SOC BRASILEIRA MEDICINA TROPICAL

Lugar: Uberaba, Minas Gerais; Año: 2014 vol. 47 p. 430 - 436

0037-8682

In Triatominae, reproductive effi ciency is an important factor infl uencing population dynamics, and a useful parameter in measuring a species? epidemiological signifi cance as a vector of Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909). The reproductive effi ciency of triatomines is affected by food availability; hence, we measured and compared the effects of feeding frequency on the reproductive parameters of Triatoma patagonica (Del Ponte, 1929) and Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1934), and the effects of starvation on T. patagonica. Methods: Couples from both species were fed weekly, or every 3 weeks; in addition, females in couples of T. patagonica were not fed. Each couple was observed weekly and reproductive effi ciency was assessed on the following parameters: fecundity (eggs/female), fertility (eggs hatched/eggs laid), initiation and end of oviposition, initiation of mating, number of matings/week, and number of reproductive weeks. Relative meal size index (RMS), blood consumption index (CI), and E values (eggs/mg blood) were also calculated. Results: Changes in feeding frequency affected the reproductive parameters of T. patagonica only, with a decrease in fecundity and number of reproductive weeks for those fed every 3 weeks, or not fed. The reproductive period, RMS index, and CI were lower for T. patagonica than T. infestans. However, despite the lower fecundity of T. patagonica, this species required less blood to produce eggs, with an E values of 2 compared to 2.94 for T. infestans. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the differences in fecundity observed between species refl ect the availability of food in their natural ecotopes.