Padrões morfológicos das sensilla antenais e das asas da espécie amazônica Rhodnius brethesi (Matta, 1919) e a especificidade com a palmeira Leopoldinia piassaba (Wallace, 1853)

Most species of the genus Rhodnius is associated with palm trees, and according to their pattern of association are classified as habitat specialists or generalists. Rhodnius brethesi is apparently expert infesting palms just species Leopoldinia piassaba . This possible specificity of ecotope keeps the sylvatic transmission cycles in regions of extraction of palm fiber, located in the micro - region of the Rio Negro, Amaz onas. However, this species is described in other regions outside the area of occurrence of the Leopoldinia piassaba such as the state of Maranhao and Para. The triatomine probing the environments through its antennas, which are covered by structures kno wn as sensory sensilla . The phenotype of the antennas as well as its morphometrics profile have been used to distinguish the genus, species and populations of insects, enabling the analysis of changes resulting from adaptations to environmental or genetic changes. Thus the profile presented by the antennas and present in sensilla and also analyzing the size and conformation of the wings we expect to obtain information about structures capable of detecting variations of the specificity of the breeding sites of R. brethesi. The aim of this study was to compare the morphological patterns, of antennas and wings, among specimens of R. brethesi created in the laboratory, wild specimens and others species from the Rhodnius genus , and analizing the existence of a po ssible specificity relative with palm ecotopes. In order to analyze the knowledge about the species R. brethesi and palm L. piassaba , the human population living in areas where is a description of the species R. brethesi , information kits were distributed in the microregion of Rio Negro, AM and three municipalities of Maranhao. Was investigated in parallel Sector Entomology Lacens of Para and Maranhao, and entomological collections of Museums receiving specimens R.brethesi . We confirm that the distribution of the palm L. piassaba in Brazil is restricted to microregion of Rio Negro, AM, and vector species R. brethesi only found colonizing these palms, both on the left and right of the Rio Negro, and is therefore considered a specific vector breeding sites. In this study we concluded that both the antennal sensilla pattern as the size and conformation of the wing specimens of R. brethesi were excellent parameters for the separation of specimens by sex and type of breeding sites, and that this species has partic ular characteristics regarding the antennal sensilla that allows it to be separated from other species of Rhodnius