Vitta Ana C R, Lorenzo Marcelo G
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Caixa Postal 1743, CEP 30.190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
J Med Entomol. 2009 Jul;46(4):789-95. doi: 10.1603/033.046.0409.
The hematophagous bug Triatoma brasiliensis (Neiva) is an important vector of Chagas disease in Brazil. We describe the mating behavior of this species in a comparative manner and analyze the effect of time elapsed since the first imaginal bloodmeal on motivation of males to mate, on female mate-rejections, and on overall mating frequency. We also evaluate whether females of this species copulate with several males in short time intervals, and we examine whether the duration of copulation may vary in the presence of other males compared with what is observed with isolated pairs. Age affected the motivation of males to perform mating attempts, whereas nutritional status affected the receptivity of females. Results showed that 70% of the females tested accepted copulating with three males over a period of 90 min, whereas the remaining 30% mated with at least two males. Mating duration in T. brasiliensis was prolonged in the presence of other males compared with observations of isolated pairs, and males of this species performed long postcopulatory associations only in the presence of other males, apparently as a mate guarding response to the presence of potential competitors.
吸血臭虫巴西锥猎蝽（Neiva）是巴西恰加斯病的重要传播媒介。我们以比较的方式描述了该物种的交配行为，并分析了自首次成虫取食以来经过的时间对雄性交配动机、雌性拒绝交配以及总体交配频率的影响。我们还评估了该物种的雌性是否会在短时间间隔内与多只雄性交配，并研究了与单独配对相比，在有其他雄性存在的情况下交配持续时间是否会有所不同。年龄影响雄性进行交配尝试的动机，而营养状况影响雌性的接受能力。结果表明，70% 的受试雌性在90分钟内接受与三只雄性交配，而其余30% 至少与两只雄性交配。与单独配对的观察结果相比，在有其他雄性存在的情况下，巴西锥猎蝽的交配持续时间延长，并且该物种的雄性仅在有其他雄性存在时才会进行长时间的交配后关联，这显然是作为对潜在竞争者存在的一种配偶守护反应。
