Revalidation and redescription of Triatoma brasiliensis macromelasoma Galvão, 1956 and an identification key for the Triatoma brasiliensis complex (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)

Triatoma brasiliensis macromelasoma is revalidated based on the results of previous multidisciplinary studies on the Triatoma brasiliensis complex, consisting of crossing experiments and morphological, biological, ecological and molecular analyses. These taxonomic tools showed the closest relationship between T. b. macromelasoma and Triatoma brasiliensis brasiliensis. T. b. macromelasoma is redescribed based on specimens collected in the type locality and specimens from a F1 colony. The complex now comprises T. b. brasiliensis, T. b. macromelasoma, Triatoma melanica, Triatoma juazeirensis and Triatoma sherlocki. An identification key for all members of the complex is presented. This detailed comparative study of the morphological features of T. b. macromelasoma and the remaining members of the complex corroborates results from multidisciplinary analyses, suggesting that the subspecific status is applicable. This subspecies can be distinguished by the following combination of features: a pronotum with 1+1 narrow brownish-yellow stripes on the submedian carinae, not attaining its apex, hemelytra with membrane cells darkened on the central portion and legs with an incomplete brownish-yellow ring on the apical half of the femora. Because the T. brasiliensis complex is of distinct epidemiological importance throughout its geographic distribution, a precise identification of its five members is important for monitoring and controlling actions against Chagas disease transmission.

Doença de Chagas e seus principais vetores no Brasil / Chagas disease and its main vectors in Brazil

Embora conhecida desde 1909, quando foi descrita pelo médico sanitarista Carlos Chagas, a doença de Chagas, também chamada de tripanossomíase americana, ainda apresenta grande importância em saúde pública no Brasil, ocorrendo principalmente no semi-árido nordestino. Está distribuída em todas as Américas, desde o sul dos Estados Unidos até a Argentina e o Chile (Rey, 2001)... Para melhor entendermos esses processos, é preciso que conheçamos um pouco mais a respeito da ecologia dos barbeiros, do modo de infecção desses insetos pelo protozoário causador da doença, o T. cruzi, e de como a sua transmissão ao homem ocorre.

Triatoma juazeirensis sp. nov. from the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)

Triatoma juazeirensis, a new triatomine species from the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil, is described. The new species is found among rocks in sylvatic environment and in the peridomicile. Type specimens were deposited in the Entomological Collection of Oswaldo Cruz Institute-Fiocruz, Museum of Zoology of University of São Paulo, and Florida Museum of Natural History. T. juazeirensis can be distinguished from the other members of the T. brasiliensis species complex mainly by the overall color of the pronotum, which is dark, and by the entirely dark femora.

Description of a new species of Cylloepus Erichson from southeastern Brazil (Coleoptera, Elmidae)

Descrição de uma nova espécie de Cylloepus Erichson do sudeste do Brasil (Coleoptera, Elmidae). Cylloepus dorvillei sp. nov. é descrita e ilustrada com base em espécimes coletados em um rio de primeira ordem na Mata Atlântica do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Notas sobre a taxonomia e o hábitat da nova espécie são apresentadas.