Triatoma yelapensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from Mexico, with a key of Triatoma species recorded in Mexico

Thirty-four species of Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) are recorded in Mexico, Triatoma Laporte, 1832 the most speciose genus in this country. Here, we describe Triatoma yelapensis sp. nov. from the Pacific coast of Jalisco (Mexico). The most similar species to T. yelapensis sp. nov. is T. recurva (Stål, 1868), but they differ in head longitude, the proportion of labial segments, coloration pattern of corium and connexivum, spiracles location, and male genitalia. To provide statistical support for the morphological distinctiveness of the new species, we performed a geometric morphometric analysis of T. yelapensis sp. nov., T. dimidiata s.s. (Latreille, 1811), T. gerstaeckeri (Stål, 1859), and T. recurva (Stål, 1868), considering head morphology. We also provide an updated key of the genus Triatoma for species recorded in Mexico

Diversidad de los chinches terrestres de la Universidad del Valle (Cali, Colombia)

Para conocer la diversidad de chinches (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) en el campus Meléndez de la Universidad del Valle (zona de vida de bosque seco tropical), se realizaron siete muestreos entre 2004-2005 abarcando áreas abiertas y con cobertura vegetal. Se usaron trampas Malaise (TM), barrido con jama (J), y agitación de follaje (AF) complementada con colecta manual en tallos (CT) para vegetación arbustiva. Se colectaron 264 ejemplares adultos, distribuidos en 63 morfoespecies y 14 familias, destacándose Miridae (20 morfoespecies), Pentatomidae (16) y Reduviidae (11) que en conjunto sumaron 75% de la riqueza total. Las familias más raras fueron Anthocoridae, Aradidae y Scutelleridae, con un único espécimen colectado. La riqueza estimada promedio fue de 110.4 ± 14.7 especies indicando un nivel de inventario del 59.4%. Las familias más abundantes fueron las mismas que mostraron mayor riqueza, y se adiciona Rhyparochromidae con el 23.1% de la abundancia total representada en dos especies. El número de morfoespecies colectadas con jama (36) y AF-CT (33) fue similar aportando un 57.1% y 52.3%, respectivamente, mientras que la trampa Malaise capturó el 17.5%. En cuanto a identidad de las especies, los métodos de colecta compartieron solamente el 13.4% en promedio, sugiriendo que su uso simultáneo provee mejor información de la heterópterofauna local. La riqueza de chinches fitófagos (19 especies) y omnívoros (20) fue alta en comparación con la de predadores de semillas (seis) y micetófagos (uno). Especies de árboles como Psidium guajaba, Guazuma ulmifolia y Pithecelobium dulce fueron los principales hospederos

Insecta, Hemiptera, Rhyparochromidae, Antillocorini, Paradema oculata Slater, 1980: distribution extension in Colombia

The distribution of Paradema oculata (Hemiptera: Rhyparochromidae) is extended thirty years after this species was first described from Colombia. The new records are from Natural National Parks of Colombia belonging to the states of Amazonas, Boyacá, Magdalena, Putumayo, Valle del Cauca and Vaupés, which are in an elevation range between 60 to 2,600 meters above sea level

Triatoma gomeznunezi Martinez, Carcavallo & Juberg 1994

Triatoma gomeznunezi Martínez, Carcavallo & Juberg, 1994 (Fig. 4C) Triatoma gomeznunezi Martínez, Carcavallo & Juberg, 1994: 15; Carcavallo et al., 2000: 70; Galvão et al., 2003: 10; Schofield & Galvão, 2009: 92; Monteiro et al., 2018: 284. Diagnosis. Male body length 21.0 mm. Regular size eyes in dorsal view, synthlipsis wider than eye, and postocular region subequal to eye length. Clypeus, genae and jugae covered with conspicuous long pilosity. Antenniferous tubercle laterally covered with long setae and dorsally glabrous. Neck polished and entirely black. Posterior lobe of pronotum brownish, distinctly lighter than anterior lobe. Humeral angles rounded. Overall color of corium dark brown, with basal and subapical yellowish spots. Conexivum with segments black on anterior half and yellow on posterior half, extending to connexival suture. Specimens examined. None. Distribution. Mexico: Oaxaca (Galvão et al. 2003). Comments. There are no molecular studies available for this species. Martínez (1994) mentioned that T. gomeznunezi is similar to T. brailovsky in several morphological characters, except measures of head structures and shape of the scutella. Carcavalho et al. (2000) proposed that T. gomeznunezi is close to T. brailovsky, T. dimidiata, and T. hegneri, based on morphological similarities between these species without details. This statement was followed by Schofield & Galvão (2009), Georgieva et al. (2017) and Monteiro et al. (2018), who proposed that T. gomeznunezi is related to several species of the T. phyllosoma species group, without details of their decision. Here, we assume that T. gomeznunezi is related to the T. phyllosoma species group because it is morphologically close to T. brailovsky. This latter species is the sister taxon of the remaining species of the T. phyllosoma species group according to molecular data (Espinoza et al. 2013).Published as part of Rengifo-Correa, Laura, Téllez-Rendón, Juan Luis, Esteban, Lyda, Huerta, Herón & Morrone, Juan J., 2021, The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species, pp. 335-365 in Zootaxa 5023 (3) on pages 344-345, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/522641

Triatoma brailovskyi Martinez, Carcavallo & Pelaez 1984

Triatoma brailovskyi Martínez, Carcavallo & Pelaez, 1984 (Fig. 3C) Triatoma brailovskyi Martínez, Carcavallo & Pelaez, 1984: 39; Carcavallo et al., 2000: 70; Galvão et al., 2003: 9; Schofield & Galvão, 2009: 92; Monteiro et al., 2018: 284. Diagnosis. Male body length 22.0 mm. Very large, swollen eyes. Synthlipsis two-thirds narrower than eye. Postocular region two-thirds shorter than eye length. Pronotum piceous. Lateral margin of pronotum with thin but well-developed keel. Humeral angles rounded. Overall color of corium yellow, with dark brown apex and central marks. Membrane of hemelytra light brown. Overall color of connexival segments yellow, with dark brown marking on anterior third of segment. Specimens examined. None. Distribution. Mexico: Colima, Jalisco, and Nayarit (Galvão et al. 2003). Comments. Carcavalho et al. (2000) proposed that T. brailovskyi Martínez, Carcavallo & Pelaez, 1984, is close to T. dimidiata, T. hegneri Mazzotti, 1940, and T. gomeznunezi Martínez, Carcavallo & Juberg, 1994, arguing morphological similarities between these species but without details. This statement was followed by Schofield & Galvão (2009). Espinoza et al. (2013) suggested that T. brailovskyi is close to T. longipennis and T. recurva (Stål, 1868) considering phylogenetic relationships. This arrangement was followed by Monteiro et al. (2018). Consensus information used by Espinoza et al. (2013) masked large incongruence between phylogenies based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes in respect of phylogenetic relationships of T. brailovskyi. Only mitochondrial phylogeny reveals a close relationship between T. brailovskyi with T. longipennis and T. recurva. Instead, nuclear phylogeny shows T. brailovskyi as the sister taxon of the remaining species of the T. phyllosoma species group plus T. sanguisuga (LeConte, 1855) (Espinoza et al. 2013). Similar conclusion can be retrieved from ultraconserved elements of molecular data (Kieran et al. 2021).Published as part of Rengifo-Correa, Laura, Téllez-Rendón, Juan Luis, Esteban, Lyda, Huerta, Herón & Morrone, Juan J., 2021, The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species, pp. 335-365 in Zootaxa 5023 (3) on page 341, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/522641

The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species

Rengifo-Correa, Laura, Téllez-Rendón, Juan Luis, Esteban, Lyda, Huerta, Herón, Morrone, Juan J. (2021): The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species. Zootaxa 5023 (3): 335-365, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5023.3.

Triatoma phyllosoma

Triatoma phyllosoma species group Monteiro, Weirauch, Felix, Lazoski & Abad-Franch, 2018 Triatoma phyllosoma species group Monteiro, Weirauch, Felix, Lazoski & Abad-Franch, 2018: 284. Diagnosis. Medium to large size (15–40 mm). Head subcylindrical, long and narrow. Head slightly longer than pronotum. Antenniferous tubercles situated at or before middle of anteocular region. Genae tapering or rounded apically, not or only slightly surpassing apex of clypeus. First and third rostral segments much shorter than second. Third rostral segment shorter than first. Humeral angles rounded or angular but not spined. Scutellar process subcylindrical or subconical. Legs with all segments, except tarsi, uniformly dark. Fore femora usually long and slender; if relatively stout, at least 4.5 times as long as wide. Spongy fossula of males variable, from a small spongy fossula to absent in both fore and mid tibiae. Spongy fossula absent in females. Abdomen narrow to wide, with lateral portions of urotergites exposed or completely covered by hemelytra. Dorsal and ventral connexival segments normally developed. Comments. This group is diagnosed by a combination of characters of adult specimens. Nymphs might provide valuable taxonomical characters for generic classification (Lent & Wygodzinsky, 1979), but still are underused in taxonomical practices. Some authors argued that species of the T. phyllosoma complex merit generic status (Meccus Carcavallo, 2000); however, the close phylogenetic relationship of Meccus with the remaining species groups supposes leaving Triatoma paraphyletic if the species assigned to Meccus were excluded (Schofield & Galvão 2009).Published as part of Rengifo-Correa, Laura, Téllez-Rendón, Juan Luis, Esteban, Lyda, Huerta, Herón & Morrone, Juan J., 2021, The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species, pp. 335-365 in Zootaxa 5023 (3) on page 339, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/522641

Triatoma mopan Dorn, Justi, Dale, Stevens, Galvao, Lima-Cordon & Monroy 2018

<i>Triatoma mopan</i> Dorn, Justi, Dale, Stevens, Galvão, Lima-Cordón & Monroy, 2018 <p> (Figure 6 from Dorn <i>et al</i>. 2018)</p> <p> <i>Triatoma dimidiata</i> group IV Monteiro, Weirauch, Felix, Lazoski & Abad-Franch, 2013: 8, 2018: 284.</p> <p> <i>Triatoma mopan</i> Dorn, Justi, Dale, Stevens, Galvão, Lima-Cordón & Monroy, 2018: 77.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Male body length 26.6–30.1 mm. Female body length 32.1–38 mm. Anteocular region 2.8 to 3.2 times as long as post ocular. Postocular region with sides almost straight, subparallel and not rounded. Ocelli very small, concolorous with rest of tegument. First antennal segment attaining or lightly surpassing level of the apex of clypeus. Connections between each segment of the labium concolorous with labium. Central depression of pronotum forming straight line from the neck to the posterior portion of the pronotum. Anterior lobe of pronotum without discal and lateral tubercles. Overall color of corium light yellow, with dark brown apex and central spot of variable size. Membrane of hemelytra almost as pale as the corium. Connexival segments piceous or black on anterior half or third across their entire width, pale yellow on posterior portion. Venter piceous or black except yellow to orange yellow area adjacent to connexival suture. Spiracles surrounded by a slightly dark spot and close or adjacent to connexival suture. Pygophore almost round and dark (Fig. 7C).</p> <p> <b>Specimens examined.</b> None.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Belize: Cayo (Dorn <i>et al.</i> 2018).</p> <p> <b>Comments.</b> This species is very similar to <i>T. dimidiata,</i> especially to its southernmost variant historically known as <i>T. dimidiata capitata</i>. It seems that Lent & Wygodzinsky (1979) examined material related to specimens currently described as <i>T. mopan</i>, but they regarded the morphological distinctions between specimens as adaptations to the environment, namely, specimens of <i>T. mopan</i> came from caves (Dorn <i>et al</i>. 2018). However, the valid specific status of <i>T. mopan</i> is proposed considering that this species is reciprocally monophyletic to <i>T. dimidiata s.s.</i> and the <i>T. hegneri</i> clade (Dorn <i>et al</i>. 2016; Justi <i>et al</i>. 2018). We could not examine specimens of <i>T. mopan</i>; however, we examined several specimens of <i>T. dimidiata</i> from different localities of Mexico that have some of the diagnostic characters of <i>T. mopan</i>. For instance, the adjacent spot of abdominal spiracles (Fig. 1E) can be well developed to completely vanished in <i>T. dimidiata</i>. Also, some few specimens of <i>T. dimidiata</i> from Veracruz state have pale yellow hemelytra, with membrane as pale as corium (Fig. 3E). Although coloration of these specimens of <i>T. dimidiata</i> seems a consequence of preservation methods, it would be worth keeping in mind the coincidence to avoid misclassifications. Considering the original description of <i>T. mopan</i> and the morphological variation of examined specimens of <i>T. dimidiata</i>, we believe that the more distinctive characters for both species are the shape of the head and the pygrophore. For details of the taxonomic arrangements see comments on <i>T. dimidiata</i>. There is no information on hybrids of <i>T. mopan</i> to date.</p>Published as part of <i>Rengifo-Correa, Laura, Téllez-Rendón, Juan Luis, Esteban, Lyda, Huerta, Herón & Morrone, Juan J., 2021, The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species, pp. 335-365 in Zootaxa 5023 (3)</i> on page 350, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.3.2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/5226410">http://zenodo.org/record/5226410</a&gt