BACKGROUND In Brazil, Triatoma maculata is only found in the State of Roraima and is a vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. It occurs in wild, peridomestic and domestic habitats, with an urban infestation in Boa Vista, the capital of this Brazilian state. The aim of this study was to assess the morphological variability of the T. maculata antennal phenotype in three populations of Roraima State, using the antennal sensilla pattern analyzed under optical microscopy. METHODS The number and distribution of four antennal sensilla types (bristles, thin and thick walled trichoidea, and basiconic) of three Brazilian populations of T. maculata from Roraima State were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS The antenna of T. maculata presented the four types of sensilla. According to the density and distribution of the antennal sensilla characteristics, the multivariate analyses showed that the laboratory population is morphologically structured. Urban specimens showed a pronounced phenotypic variability. The main differences were observed in the pedicel segment, and between males and females. CONCLUSIONS We determined the antennal phenotype in three Roraima populations of T. maculata. These results support the idea that the patterns of antennal sensilla are sensitive markers for distinct populations in the Triatominae. The infestations of T. maculata in different habitats reinforces the ability of this vector to become adapted to a variety of environments, which, could have eco-epidemiological implications for the T. cruzi transmission that are still not well understood.

中文翻译：

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不同种群的Triatoma maculata（Hemiptera：Reduviidae）的触角感应模式是否表现出表型变异性？

背景技术在巴西，仅在罗赖马州发现了斑节藻（Triatoma maculata），它是恰加斯氏病的病原体克氏锥虫的载体。它发生在野生的，蠕虫的和家庭的栖息地，在巴西州首府博阿维斯塔（Boa Vista）发生了城市感染。这项研究的目的是使用光学显微镜下分析的触角感应模式，评估罗赖马州三个种群的黄斑锥T触角表型的形态变异。方法比较了三个来自罗赖马州的巴西斑潜蝇的四种触角感官类型（猪鬃，薄壁和厚壁毛刺毛和碱性）的数量和分布。进行了单因素和多因素分析。结果斑叶天竺葵的触角表现出四种类型的感官。根据触角感觉特征的密度和分布，多变量分析表明实验室人群是形态结构上的。城市标本表现出明显的表型变异性。在花梗部分以及雄性和雌性之间观察到主要差异。结论我们确定了三个罗氏ima种群的T. maculata的触角表型。这些结果支持了触角感应器的模式是三角藻中不同种群的敏感标记的想法。在不同生境中的斑节对虾的侵染增强了该载体适应各种环境的能力，这可能对尚未得到充分了解的克鲁斯病的传播具有生态流行病学意义。