Molecular Taxonomy of Triatominae

Abstract

A taxonomic study of the subfamily Triatominae was conducted to determine systematic relationships using agar gel diffusion methods in the differentiation of ova antigens and electrophoresis to differentiate hernolymph proteins. Agar gel diffusion methods indicated that two distinctive Triatominae species from South America could be distinguished from typical North American species; it was also possible to distinguish the monotypic genus Dipetalogaster from other North American populations. A total of 180 electrophoretic tracings of Triatominae hernolyrnph were made from 18 populations of kissing bugs. Closely related populations of the Triatoma Protracta, Triatoma Rubida, and Paratriatoma Hirsuta Complexes showed group relationships within each of the complexes and distinctive differences between species groups. Data derived from the electrophoretic studies and analyzed by IBM computers have indicated that all genera, species and subspecies studied could be positively identified. Seventy-five per cent of the members of the morphologically indistinguishable infrasubspecific rough and smooth egg populations of Triatoma protracta protracta were correctly identified. In addition to the above 89% (159 out of 180) of the fifth instar nymphs were correctly classified to their sex