Triatoma bassolsae Alejandre-Aguilar, Nogueda-Torres, Cortéz-Jímenez, Jurberg, Galvão & Carcavallo, 1999

Rengifo-Correa, Laura, Téllez-Rendón, Juan Luis, Esteban, Lyda, Huerta, Herón & Morrone, Juan J., 2021, The Triatoma phyllosoma species group (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas disease: Diagnoses and a key to the species, Zootaxa 5023 (3), pp. 335-365 : 339-340

Triatoma bassolsae Alejandre-Aguilar, Nogueda-Torres, Cortéz-Jímenez, Jurberg, Galvão & Carcavallo, 1999

( Fig. 3A, B )

Triatoma bassolsae Alejandre-Aguilar, Nogueda-Torres, Cortéz-Jímenez, Jurberg, Galvão & Carcavallo, 1999: 354 ; Schofield & Galvão, 2009: 92; Monteiro et al., 2018: 284.

Meccus bassolsae ; Carcavallo et al., 2000: 81; Galvão et al., 2003: 7.

Triatoma phyllosoma bassolsae ; Marcilla et al., 2001: 141; Martínez et al., 2006: 285; Martínez-Hernández et al., 2010: 80.

Diagnosis. Male body length 30.0–32.0 mm. Female body length 33.0–35.0 mm. Anteocular region 3.5 times as long as postocular region. First antennal segment attaining level of apex of clypeus. Pronotum black, with numerous long erect hairs about 0.5 mm long. Short hemelytra, attaining middle of urotergite VI in both sexes. Overall color of hemelytra dark brown to black. Corium slightly lighter basal portion, and sometimes with small light brown to yellow subapical mark; scarce short (0.1–0.2 mm), decumbent or adpressed setae. Spongy fossulae of fore and mid tibiae absent in both sexes. Abdomen strongly widened. Overall color of connexival segments piceous to black, with yellowish or orange marks on posteroexternal angle. Pygophore round, as long as wide ( Figs. 8A , 9A ).

Specimens examined. Mexico. 2 females, 2 males ( CAIM), Puebla, San Jerónimo Xayacatlán, 01 viii 1992, R. Alejandre-Aguilar .

Distribution. Mexico: Puebla ( Galvão et al. 2003).

Comments. This species is closely related to T. mazzottii , T. pallidipennis , and T. phyllosoma ( Rengifo-Correa et al. 2021) . Triatoma bassolsae is inter-sterile with T. mazzottii and T. phyllosoma ( Martínez-Ibarra et al. 2008, 2011a). Hybrids of T. bassolsae with T. pallidipennis are probably expected in the field considering their distribution and reproductive compatibility ( Martínez-Ibarra et al. 2011a; Rengifo-Correa et al. 2021). Cryptic hybrids with either of parental phenotypes were found ( Martínez-Ibarra et al. 2011a). Triatoma bassolsae was considered a subspecies of T. phyllosoma because of its low genetic divergence from other closely related species ( Martínez et al. 2006). Also, the subspecific status of T. bassolsae was suggested considering that it hybridizes under laboratory conditions with T. longipennis , T. pallidipennis and T. picturata ( Martínez-Ibarra et al. 2008, 2011a). Despite this behavior, T. bassolsae is not closely related to these species ( Rengifo-Correa et al. 2021). Considering the relationships with its three closely related species, T. bassolsae keeps more reproductive cohesion within itself and with T. pallidipennis than with T. mazzottii and T. phyllosoma . Besides, hybrids of T. bassolsae and T. pallidipennis keep more morphological cohesion with one of their parents (cryptic hybrids). So, phenotypical cohesion of T. bassolsae is stronger within itself than between this species and T. mazzottii , T. pallidipennis , and T. phyllosoma . For these reasons, we re-establish the species status for T. bassolsae .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Triatoma spp. A, B, T. bassolsae; C, T. brailovskyi; D, E, F T. dimidiata (3B courtesy of E. Barrera-Vargas and 3C courtesy of C. Dale).

FIGURE 8. Pygophore of Triatoma spp., ventral view (A, T. bassolsae; B, T. longipennis; C, T. mazzottii; D, T. pallidipennis; E, T. phyllosoma; F, T. picturata.

FIGURE 9. Pygophore of Triatoma spp., lateral view A, T. bassolsae; B, T. longipennis; C, T. mazzottii; D, T. pallidipennis; E, T. phyllosoma; F, T. picturata.