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Triatoma infestans is one of the main vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America. Although the species is under control in most Latin countries, it is still necessary to maintain epidemiological surveillance. The present study aims to characterize T. infestans populations from residual foci in Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, comparing them with natural populations in Argentina and Bolivia. For this, we adopt the geometric morphometry of the heads. It is possible to report the morphometric variety of the studied populations. In addition, we show that the size of the heads contributes to the differentiation between populations, while the shape has less power to discriminate groups. Furthermore, we show that some natural populations have morphometric proximity to residual populations, suggesting a relationship between these triatomines. Our data do not support the origin of residual populations but demonstrate the importance of new studies with other techniques to understand the dynamics of distribution and reintroduction of these vectors in Brazilian territory.

The geographic patterns of genetic and morphological variability in ground beetles were examined throughout Northern Eurasia and North America using the most abundant circumpolar tundra subspecies, Pterostichus (Cryobius) brevicornis brevicornis (Kirby, 1837), as a model. Phylogenetic structure was assessed on the basis of a Bayesian approach using two DNA markers (partial sequences of the COI and 28S rRNA genes), while phylogeographic patterns and population genetic diversity were estimated using the COI gene only. Morphological patterns were analysed using elliptical Fourier coefficients that were calculated based on the pronotum and male genitalia shape outlines. The subspecies shares 23 COI haplotypes throughout its entire circumpolar range, while eight haplotypes of 28S rRNA were detected in Northern Eurasia. Phylogenetic analysis did not reveal subdivided species lineages with strict geographical imprint. The network, FST and uncorrected pairwise divergence analyses showed that the genetic distances between populations increase by longitude from Northeastern Asia to Europe. The genetic variability among the five studied geographical population groups of P. b. brevicornis was relatively high. The MANOVA showed significant regional divergence between local populations in Northern Eurasia based on both morphological markers, but only male genitalia variability was geographically structured. Neither the pronotum shape nor the male genitalia shape aligned with the phylogeographic patterns discovered on the basis of COI sequences. The genetic (COI) marker had more variation within, rather than among, population groups in addition to morphology of pronotum but not male genitalia.

Morphometrics has been used on Triatomines, a well-known phenotypically variable insect, to understand the process of morphological plasticity and infer the changes of this phenomenon. The following research was carried out in two regions of the inter-Andean valleys and two Chaco regions of Chuquisaca-Bolivia. Triatoma infestans adults were collected from the peridomestic (pens and chicken coops) along a geographic gradient in order to evaluate the morphological differentiation between groups and their pattern of sexual shape dimorphism. Geometric morphometric methods were applied on the wings and heads of T. infestans. The main findings include that we proved sexual dimorphism in heads and wings, determined the impact of environmental factors on size and shape and validated the impact of nutrition on head shape variation. These results show that geometric morphometric procedures can be used to provide key insight into the biological adaptation of T. infestans on different biotic (nutrition) and abiotic (environment) conditions, which could serve in understanding and evaluating infestation processes and further vector control programs.

Triatoma infestans is one of the main vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America. Although the species is under control in most Latin countries, it is still necessary to maintain epidemiological surveillance. The present study aims to characterize T. infestans populations from residual foci in Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, comparing them with natural populations in Argentina and Bolivia. For this, we adopt the geometric morphometry of the heads. It is possible to report the morphometric variety of the studied populations. In addition, we show that the size of the heads contributes to the differentiation between populations, while the shape has less power to discriminate groups. Furthermore, we show that some natural populations have morphometric proximity to residual populations, suggesting a relationship between these triatomines. Our data do not support the origin of residual populations but demonstrate the importance of new studies with other techniques to understand the dynamics of distribution and reintroduction of these vectors in Brazilian territory.

The geographic patterns of genetic and morphological variability in ground beetles were examined throughout Northern Eurasia and North America using the most abundant circumpolar tundra subspecies, Pterostichus (Cryobius) brevicornis brevicornis (Kirby, 1837), as a model. Phylogenetic structure was assessed on the basis of a Bayesian approach using two DNA markers (partial sequences of the COI and 28S rRNA genes), while phylogeographic patterns and population genetic diversity were estimated using the COI gene only. Morphological patterns were analysed using elliptical Fourier coefficients that were calculated based on the pronotum and male genitalia shape outlines. The subspecies shares 23 COI haplotypes throughout its entire circumpolar range, while eight haplotypes of 28S rRNA were detected in Northern Eurasia. Phylogenetic analysis did not reveal subdivided species lineages with strict geographical imprint. The network, F ST and uncorrected pairwise divergence analyses showed that the genetic distances between populations increase by longitude from Northeastern Asia to Europe. The genetic variability among the five studied geographical population groups of P. b. brevicornis was relatively high. The MANOVA showed significant regional divergence between local populations in Northern Eurasia based on both morphological markers, but only male genitalia variability was geographically structured. Neither the pronotum shape nor the male genitalia shape aligned with the phylogeographic patterns discovered on the basis of COI sequences. The genetic (COI) marker had more variation within, rather than among, population groups in addition to morphology of pronotum but not male genitalia.

Morphometrics has been used on Triatomines, a well-known phenotypically variable insect, to understand the process of morphological plasticity and infer the changes of this phenomenon. The following research was carried out in two regions of the inter-Andean valleys and two Chaco regions of Chuquisaca-Bolivia. Triatoma infestans adults were collected from the peridomestic (pens and chicken coops) along a geographic gradient in order to evaluate the morphological differentiation between groups and their pattern of sexual shape dimorphism. Geometric morphometric methods were applied on the wings and heads of T. infestans . The main findings include that we proved sexual dimorphism in heads and wings, determined the impact of environmental factors on size and shape and validated the impact of nutrition on head shape variation. These results show that geometric morphometric procedures can be used to provide key insight into the biological adaptation of T. infestans on different biotic (nutrition) and abiotic (environment) conditions, which could serve in understanding and evaluating infestation processes and further vector control programs.