Adaptive developmental delay in Chagas disease vectors: an evolutionary ecology approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The developmental time of vector insects is important in population dynamics, evolutionary biology, epidemiology and in their responses to global climatic change. In the triatomines (Triatominae, Reduviidae), vectors of Chagas disease, evolutionary ecology concepts, which may allow for a better understanding of their biology, have not been applied. Despite delay in the molting in some individuals observed in triatomines, no effort was made to explain this variability.

Methodology

We applied four methods: (1) an e-mail survey sent to 30 researchers with experience in triatomines, (2) a statistical description of the developmental time of eleven triatomine species, (3) a relationship between development time pattern and climatic inter-annual variability, (4) a mathe

SUBMITTER: Menu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2876115 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature