Dimorfismo sexual alar de Lonomia obliqua, Walker 1855 (Saturniidae, Hemileucinae)

Introduction: Endemic to the Southern Cone of the Americas, moths of the genus Lonomia contain around 60 species, which, during their immature phase, have toxins that are potentially lethal to humans and other mammals. The status quo of Lonomia taxonomic diversity in Brazil, especially the southern and southeastern regions, still needs to be clearly described. Little is known about the sexual dimorphism of wing shape and size in Lonomia, its magnitude among the different species within the genus, and its importance in species diagnosis. Objectives: Therefore, this work aimed to investigate the diversity of size and wing shape of moths, previously described and deposited in collections as L. obliqua, identifying the existence and quantifying the magnitude of wing sexual dimorphism (DSA) in population samples from the South and Southeast of Brazil. Materials and Methods: In this work, the wing geometric morphometry technique was used to quantify the morphological variations of female and male wings within different populations previously described as Lonomia obliqua. To this end, the right anterior and posterior wings of individuals from different federative units in the South and Southeast of Brazil were diaphanized, photographed, and had their anatomical landmarks recorded to perform Procrustes (sP) superimposition, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant of Canonical Variables (AVC) in MorphoJ and of Centroid Size in PAST. Results and discussion: In an unprecedented way, this study showed the existence of sexual dimorphism in wing shape and size. The magnitude of wing sexual dimorphism varied between the groups analyzed. Females showed a clear tendency to have larger fore and hind wings compared to males. For further studies, an analysis of interference between populations that did not have clearly segregated sexes is suggested, as well as more in-depth studies on differences in wing shapes and behavioral performance.

Introdução: Endêmicas do Cone Sul das Américas, as mariposas do gênero Lonomia, contém cerca de 60 espécies, as quais durante sua fase imatura possuem toxinas potencialmente letais a seres humanos e outros mamíferos. O status quo da diversidade taxonômica de Lonomia no Brasil e especialmente as regiões sul e sudeste ainda não está claramente descrito. Pouco se sabe acerca do dimorfismo sexual de forma e tamanho alar em Lonomia, sua magnitude entre as diversas espécies dentro do gênero, bem como sua importância na diagnose de espécie. Objetivos: Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a diversidade de tamanho e forma alar de mariposas, previamente descritas e depositadas nas coleções como L. obliqua, identificando a existência e quantificando a magnitude de dimorfismo sexual alar (DSA) em amostras populacionais do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil. Materiais e Métodos: Neste trabalho a técnica de morfometria geométrica alar, foi utilizada para quantificar as variações morfológica das asas de fêmeas e machos dentro de diferentes populações previamente descritas como Lonomia obliqua. Para tanto, asas anteriores e posteriores direitas de indivíduos provenientes de diferentes unidades federativas do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil, foram diafanizadas, fotografadas e tiveram seus marcos anatômicos registrados para realizar sobreposição de Procrustes (sP), Análises de Componentes Principais (ACP) e de Discriminante de Variáveis Canônicas (AVC) no MorphoJ e de Tamanho de centróide no PAST. Resultados e discussão: De forma inédita este estudo apresentou a existência de dimorfismo sexual de forma e de tamanho alares. A magnitude do dimorfismo sexual alar variou entre os grupos analisados. As fêmeas apresentaram clara tendência a possuírem asas anteriores e posteriores maiores em relação aos machos. Para estudos posteriores uma análise das interferências entre populações que não tiveram os sexos claramente segregados é sugerida, bem como estudos mais aprofundados sobre as diferenças nas formas das asas e performance no comportamento.

Hemorragia intracraneal como presentación de sindrome hemorragico severo por lonomismo sistemico / Intracranial hemorrhage as presentation of severe hemorragic sindrome by sistemic lonomisms

Los accidentes causados por los estadios larvarios de los lepidópteros se conocen como erucismo. El contacto accidental con las orugas del género Lonomia spp. puede desencadenar síndromes hemorrágicos que en casos severos puede llegar a producir injuria renal aguda y hemorragia intracraneal. Se presenta el caso de un varón de 48 años procedente la selva central del Perú, quien mientras estaba en el campo, incidentalmente entra en contacto con una oruga, cursando luego con un síndrome hemorrágico caracterizado por coagulopatía y hemorragia subaracnoidea. El cuadro se resolvió satisfactoriamente luego de la administración del suero antilonómico. Se discute los aspectos fisiopatológicos, clínicos y laboratoriales que condujeron al diagnóstico, así como la efectividad reportada del tratamiento. (AU)

The accidents caused by the larval stages of the Lepidoptera are known as erucism. Accidental contact with caterpillars of the genus Lonomia spp. can trigger hemorrhagic syndromes that in severe cases can lead to acute renal injury and intracranial hemorrhage. We present the case of a 48 year-old male from Peruvian Central Jungle who while was working in the forest comes in contact with a caterpillar, after which he developed an hemorrhagic syndrome characterized by coagulopathy and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The clinical picture resolved satisfactorily after administration of antilonomic serum. The pathophysiological, clinical and laboratory aspects that led to the diagnosis are discussed, as well as the reported effectiveness of treatment. (AU)

Niña con erucismo hemorrágico por Lonomia spp.: / Hemorrhagic erucism due to Lonomia spp. in a girl:

RESUMEN Los accidentes causados por las setas urticantes o venenosas de las orugas de lepidópteros, se conocen como erucismo. Estos accidentes se producen por el contacto accidental, especialmente por los niños, con las cerdas sobre el cuerpo del insecto, conectadas con glándulas venenosas. Los síntomas pueden ser locales o sistémicos, con presentaciones clínicas fatales. El accidente ocasionado por las orugas del género Lonomia spp. puede desencadenar síndromes hemorrágicos, constituyendo estos la forma más grave de erucismo. Se reporta el caso de una niña de 5 años, procedente del poblado de Villarondos, en la Amazonía del Perú, departamento de Huánuco, la cual incidentalmente se hinca con las cerdas de una oruga, cursando luego con anemia hemolítica, plaquetopenia y trastorno de la coagulación. El diagnóstico fue establecido por la anamnesis, cuadro clínico, exámenes de laboratorio y respuesta al suero antilonómico. Se discuten los aspectos clínicos, laboratoriales y terapéuticos de erucismo por Lonomia spp.

ABSTRACT Accidents caused by urticating or poisonous setae from lepidoptera caterpillars are known as erucism. These accidents are produced by accidental contact, especially in children, with bristles on the insect's body surface, connected to venom glands. Symptoms may be local or systemic, with deadly clinical presentations. The accident caused by Lonomia spp. caterpillars can trigger bleeding disorders, which is considered the most severe type of erucism. The case of a 5-year-old girl is reported. She was from the town of Villarondos, in the Peruvian Amazon, department of Huánuco, who accidentally knelt down on caterpillar bristles, and subsequently experienced hemolytic anemia, plateletopenia, and coagulation disorder. The diagnosis was made based on the medical history, clinical manifestation, laboratory examination results, and response to antilonomic serum. The clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic aspects of erucism due to Lonomia spp. are discussed.

Accidentes causados por la oruga Lonomia obliqua (Walker, 1855): Un problema emergente / Accidents with caterpillar Lonomia obliqua (Walker, 1855). An emerging problem

Lonomia obliqua (Walker, 1855) es una mariposa nocturna de la familia Saturniidae, ampliamente distribuida en selvas tropicales de Sudamérica. Su larva (oruga) se caracteriza por poseer espículas ramificadas puntiagudas a lo largo de su cuerpo, que contienen una mezcla compleja de moléculas tóxicas en su interior. Cuando las espículas contactan con la piel de las personas, las toxinas ingresan pasivamente a través de la lesión, generando un envenenamiento caracterizado por manifestaciones no solo locales sino también sistémicas (fundamentalmente manifestaciones hemorrágicas). Debido al elevado número de casos que se produjeron en Brasil en las últimas décadas, el Instituto Butantan ha producido un antiveneno capaz de neutralizar los efectos deletéreos de los accidentes por contacto con L. obliqua. En Argentina, los accidentes por Lonomia son poco frecuentes y se limitan a la provincia de Misiones. Teniendo en cuenta que a la fecha no hay en la literatura descripciones de casos clínicos ocurridos en el país con tratamiento específico (antiveneno), el propósito del presente trabajo es comunicar seis casos de accidentes por contacto con orugas Lonomia que fueron atendidos en el Hospital SAMIC de Puerto Iguazú (Misiones, Argentina) durante el año 2014, y que fueron tratados con el suero antilonómico producido en Brasil. Se destaca la evolución rápida y favorable de todos los pacientes, por lo que se recomienda el uso de este antiveneno para tratar los casos de erucismo por Lonomia en la Argentina.

Lonomia obliqua (Walker, 1855) is a moth from the family Saturniidae, widely distributed in tropical rainforests of South America. In its larval stage (caterpillar) it is characterized by bristles that cover the animal’s body. These structures are hard and branched spiny evaginations of the cuticle, underneath which a complex mixture of toxic molecules is stored. When spicules are brought into contact with the skin of people, toxins enter passively through the injury, causing not only local but also systemic poisoning (primarily hemorrhagic manifestations). When the whole animal is accidentally crushed, the insect’s chitinous bristles are broken and the venomous secretions penetrate the human skin, reaching the blood circulation. Due to the numerous registered cases of erucism in Southern Brazil, the Butantan Institute has produced an antivenom able to neutralize the deleterious effects produced by contact with L. obliqua caterpillar bristles. In Argentina, these kinds of accidents are rare and restricted to the province of Misiones. Taking into account that to date there is no report in this country about clinical cases submitted to a specific treatment (antivenom), our aim is to communicate here six cases of Lonomia caterpillar-induced bleeding syndrome that were treated in the Hospital SAMIC of Puerto Iguazú (Misiones, Argentina) during 2014 with the antilonomic serum produced in Brazil. It is worthy to note that all patients evolved favorably within the first few hours, and for this reason, the use of this antivenom is recommended to treat the cases of Lonomia erucism in Argentina.