Oviposition in the blood-sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus is modulated by host odors

GUIDOBALDI F; GUERENSTEIN PG

Congreso; 3er congreso de la Asoc. Latinoamericana de Ecologia Quimica (ALAEQ); 2014

Ver tambien documento adjunto Introduction First-instar larvae of triatomines need to feed within the first days after emergence from the egg in order to survive. Taking into account their small size and limited locomotion capacity, it seems reasonable that females should lay their eggs near a host. In fact, the triatomine Rhodnius prolixus lays (sticks) their eggs on the feathers of their avian hosts. In order to understand the sensory bases of this behavior, we tested if the presence of a host has an effect on the spatial distribution and number of the stuck eggs.  Material and methods: We carried out tests in an experimental arena consisting of a PVC tube (0.2 m diam, 1.70 m length). Two male and four female adult R. prolixus 1-2 weeks after feeding were placed inside a test or a control tube under controlled ambient conditions, for 3 days. The stimulus, consisting of either a mouse or hen feathers, was placed below one end of the test tube while the other end remained empty; no stimulus was placed below the control tube. Little holes allowed sensory cues from the stimuli to enter the tube.  Results: Both stimuli significantly stimulated oviposition in R. prolixus (Mouse: total eggs test: 369, total eggs control: 236, N=16, p