Range size positively correlates with temperature and precipitation niche breadths but not with dietary niche breadth in triatomine insects, vectors of Chagas disease.

ABSTRACT: Ecological theory predicts that species that can utilise a greater diversity of resources and, therefore, have wider niche breadths should also occupy larger geographic areas (the 'niche breadth-range size hypothesis'). Here, we tested this hypothesis for a blood-sucking group of insects of medical significance: the Triatominae (aka 'kissing bugs') (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Given that niches can be viewed from different perspectives, we tested this hypothesis based on both dietary and climatic niches. We assembled the most complete dataset of triatomine feeding patterns to date by reviewing 143 studies from the literature up to 2021 and tested whether the niche breadth-range size hypothesis held for this group for both dietary and climatic components of the niche. Temperature and precipitat

SUBMITTER: Caron FS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11357105 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature