Thermal preferences and limits of Triatoma brasiliensis in its natural environment - Field observations while host searching
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
110(6): 793-796, Sept. 2015. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-763090
ABSTRACT
The goal of this work was to explore the thermal relationship between foraging Triatoma brasiliensis and its natural habitat during the hottest season in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The thermal profiles were determined using infrared analysis. Although the daily temperature of rock surfaces varied in a wide range, T. brasiliensisselected to walk through areas with temperatures between 31.7-40.5ºC. The temperature of T. brasiliensisbody surface ranged from 32.8-34.4ºC, being higher in legs than the abdomen. A strong relationship was found between the temperature of the insect and the temperature of rock crevices where they were hidden (r 0.96, p < 0.05). The species was active at full sunlight being a clear example of how the light-dark rhythm may be altered, even under predation risk. Our results strongly suggest a thermal borderline for T. brasiliensisforaging activity near 40ºC. The simultaneous determination of insect body and rock temperatures here presented are the only obtained in natural habitats for this or other triatomines.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Triatoma
/
Body Temperature
/
Ecosystem
/
Feeding Behavior
/
Hot Temperature
/
Insect Vectors
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
2015
Type:
Article
/
Project document
Affiliation country:
Argentina
Institution/Affiliation country:
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas/AR
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