The association of Triatoma maculata (Ericsson 1848) with the gecko Thecadactylus rapicaud

The association of Triatoma maculata (Ericsson 1848) with the gecko Thecadactylus rapicauda (Houttuyn 1782) (Reptilia：Squamata:Gekkonidae)：a strategy of domiciliation of the Chagas disease

peridomestic vector in Venezuela?

Reyes-Lugo

M;Rodrguez-Acosta

A;Reyes-Contreras

M;Salvi

W;Aviln

I;Gelves

A;Llavaneras D;Navarrete LF;Cordero G;Snchez EE

【期刊名称】《亚太热带生物医学杂志（英文版）》 【年(卷),期】2011(000)004

【摘要】Objective: To investigate the bioecological relationship between Chagas disease peridomestic vectors and reptiles as source of feeding. Methods: In a three-story building, triatomines were captured by direct search and electric vacuum cleaner search in and outside the building. Then, age structure of the captured Triatoma maculata (T. maculata) were identified and recorded. Reptiles living in sympatric with the triatomines were also searched. Results: T. maculata were found living sympatric with geckos (Thecadactylus rapicauda) and they bit residents of the apartment building in study. A total of 1 448 individuals of T. maculata were captured within three days, of which 74.2% (1 074 eggs) were eggs, 21.5% were nymphs at different stages, and 4.3% were adults. Conclusions: The association of T. maculata and T. rapicauda is an effective strategy of colonizing dwellings located in the vicinity of the