Trends in evolution of the Triatomini tribe (Hemiptera, Triatominae): reproductive incompatibility between four species of geniculatus clade

• Autor(a) principal: dos Reis, Yago Visinho [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: de Oliveira, Jader, Madeira, Fernanda Fernandez [UNESP], Ravazi, Amanda [UNESP], de Oliveira, Ana Beatriz Bortolozo [UNESP], de Mello, Denis Vinicius [UNESP], Campos, Fabricio Ferreira [UNESP], de Azeredo-Oliveira, Maria Tercília Vilela [UNESP], da Rosa, João Aristeu [UNESP], Galvão, Cleber, Alevi, Kaio Cesar Chaboli [UNESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05540-z; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/249326
• topic: Chagas disease vectors; Nesotriatoma; Panstrongylus; Prezygotic isolation barrier; Triatomines

Background: The geniculatus clade, composed by the rufotuberculatus, lignarius, geniculatus and megistus groups, relates evolutionarily the species of the genus Panstrongylus and Nesotriatoma. Several studies have shown that triatomine hybrids can play an important role in the transmission of Chagas disease. Natural hybrids between species of the geniculatus clade have never been reported to our knowledge. Thus, carrying out experimental crosses between species of the geniculatus clade can help to elucidate the taxonomic issues as well as contribute to the epidemiological knowledge of this group. Methods: Experimental crosses were carried out between species of the megistus and lignarius groups to evaluate the reproductive compatibility between them. A phylogenetic reconstruction was also performed with data available in GenBank for the species of the geniculatus clade to show the relationships among the crossed species. Results: Phylogenetic analysis grouped the species of the geniculatus clade into four groups, as previously reported. In the interspecific crosses performed there was no hatching of eggs, demonstrating the presence of prezygotic barriers between the crossed species and confirming their specific status. Conclusions: In contrast to the other groups of the Triatomini tribe, as well as the Rhodniini, there are prezygotic barriers that prevent the formation of hybrids between species of the megistus and lignarius groups. Thus, the geniculatus clade may represent an important evolutionary model for Triatominae, highlighting the need for further studies with greater sample efforts for this clade (grouping the 17 species of Panstrongylus and the three of Nesotriatoma). Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].