Unraveling the Morphological Variation of Triatoma infestans in the Peridomestic Habitats of Chuquisaca Bolivia: A Geometric Morphometric Approach

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Triatoma infestans is the main vector of the Chagas disease transmission and has been for years one of the main sanitary problems in Bolivia, particularly for the movement between isolated population to the urban areas. In the following research, we analyze the pattern of biological adaptation of this vector species from two different areas in Bolivia (areas of the Bolivian Chaco with the inter-Andean valleys). Using advanced geometric morphometric tools, it was possible to unravel T. infestans morphological variation and understand the biological adaptation of this important insect species. ABSTRACT: Morphometrics has been used on Triatomines, a well-known phenotypically variable insect, to understand the process of morphological plasticity and infer the changes of this phenomenon. The following research was carried out in two regions of the inter-Andean valleys and two Chaco regions of Chuquisaca-Bolivia. Triatoma infestans adults were collected from the peridomestic (pens and chicken coops) along a geographic gradient in order to evaluate the morphological differentiation between groups and their pattern of sexual shape dimorphism. Geometric morphometric methods were applied on the wings and heads of T. infestans. The main findings include that we proved sexual dimorphism in heads and wings, determined the impact of environmental factors on size and shape and validated the impact of nutrition on head shape variation. These results show that geometric morphometric procedures can be used to provide key insight into the biological adaptation of T. infestans on different biotic (nutrition) and abiotic (environment) conditions, which could serve in understanding and evaluating infestation processes and further vector control programs.