First record of a mermithid worm (Nematoda, Mermithidae) parasitizing a third instar nymph of Triatoma sordida (Stål, 1859) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) from Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Mirian Francisca Martins,Cleber Galvão,Simone Chinicz Cohen,Melissa Querido Cárdenas,Sinara Cristina De Moraes

doi:10.3897/zookeys.980.55865

Abstract

A juvenile specimen of a mermithid (Nematoda) was found parasitizing a third instar nymph of Triatoma sordida from Mato Grosso, Brazil. This is the first record of mermithid parasitism in a triatomine species. The Mermithidae represents a family of nematodes that are specialized insect parasites. Entomonematodes are one of the highly influential agents regulating the population dynamics of insects. This report introduces the opportunity to think about mermithids as a possible candidate for use as triatomine biological control.

Highlights

The insects of the subfamily Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) are true bugs specialized in blood-sucking
The purpose of the present paper is to report the first finding of a juvenile stage of a mermithid nematode parasitizing Triatominae from Brazil
During the standard procedure for the extraction of intestinal content of a nymph of a third stage T. sordida (15 mm deep), a long and slim parasite was observed emerging from the triatomine (Fig. 2)

Summary

Introduction

The insects of the subfamily Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) are true bugs specialized in blood-sucking. A few species of triatomines are found in Asia and Oceania, in these regions the vector-borne transmission of T. cruzi does not occur as the parasite is absent. Galvão and Justi (2015) summarized the information available about ecology, niches, and associations with humans, and T. cruzi infection of all triatomine species. Triatoma sordida presented the highest infection rate for T. cruzi in the state of Bahia, including the report of infected colonies in intradomiciary environments (Ribeiro-Jr. et al 2019). According to Minuzzi-Souza et al (2017), T. sordida plays a key role in maintaining the risk of transmission of T. cruzi to humans in the state of Góias and the Distrito Federal in Brazil. In the state of Bahia, Brazil, this species was associated with oral transmission of Chagas disease to humans (Dias et al 2008)

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