Dipetalogaster, a genus of
Triatominae, the kissing bugs, has only a single species, Dipetalogaster maxima (often misspelled as "maximus", e.g.[1]), which is found in the Mexican state of
Baja California Sur. Originally the
blood-suckingDipetalogaster lived in crevices in rocks where it typically fed on lizards,[1] but following human growth in its range it now also commonly feeds on humans and domestic animals.[2]
Dipetalogaster is routinely infected by the
Chagas disease parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.[1][3][4] In contrast to this risk, laboratory kept Dipetalogaster can be used for extracting blood samples from animals where other methods are stressful or risky (such as certain zoo animals and wild animals).[5] The bite of Dipetalogaster is essentially painless because of the very thin mouthpart apparatus (about 0.02 mm or 0.8 thou, far less than a typical
hypodermic needle) and the
anaesthetic effect of its saliva.[5] The blood can be extracted from the Dipetalogaster without killing it and with few exceptions (such as
sodium and
potassium) show no differences compared to blood extracted using conventional methods.[5]
At up to 5 cm (2.0 in) in length, Dipetalogaster is the largest species of the subfamily, but otherwise it resembles the better-known Rhodnius prolixus.[2]
Notes
^
abcRyckman, Raymond E.; Ryckman, Albert E. (1967). "Epizootiology of Trypanosoma cruzi in Southwestern North America, Part X: The Biosystematics of Dipetalogaster maximus in Mexico (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)(Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomidae)". Journal of Medical Entomology. 4 (2): 180–188.
doi:
10.1093/jmedent/4.2.180.
PMID4963987.
^Garcia, Elio S.; Dvorak, James A. (1982). "Growth and development of two Trypanosoma cruzi clones in the arthropod Dipetalogaster maximus". The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 31 (2): 259–262.
doi:
10.4269/ajtmh.1982.31.259.
PMID7041664.
^Jiménez, María-Luisa; Llinas, Jorge; Palacios, Carlos (2003). "Infection rates in Dipetalogaster maximus (Reduviidae: Triatominae) by Trypanosoma cruzi in the Cape Region, Baja California Sur, México". Journal of Medical Entomology. 40 (1): 18–21.
doi:
10.1603/0022-2585-40.1.18.
PMID12597648.
S2CID31772112.
Uhler, Philip Reese (1894). "Observations upon the heteropterous hemiptera of Lower California: with descriptions of new species". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. Series 2. IV: 223–295.
Maldonado Capriles Jenaro (1990). "Dipetalogaster maximus (Uhler 1894)". Systematic Catalogue of the Reduviidae of the World (Insecta: Heteroptera). Caribbean Journal of Science, Special edition. Mayagüez, Puerto Rico: University of Puerto Rico. pp. 549–550.