Triatoma dominicana
Encyclopedia
Triatoma dominicana is an extinct species
of assassin bug in the subfamily Triatominae
, the kissing bugs known from early Miocene
Burdigalian
stage Dominican amber
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
..
The species is know from a single 5th instar female nymph exuvia
found in Hymenaea protera
amber
from deposits in the Dominican Republic
. The holotype
, deposited in the Oregon State University
as specimen number He-4-73, was mined from the La Toca Dominican amber
mine. The specimen was first mentioned in a 1995 paper describing the extinct tick Ornithodorus antiquus. Though mostly complete the exuvia is missing the right foreleag, the left middle leg, a small section of antenna and the anteocular region. Triatoma dominicana is the first extinct Triatominae species to be described from the fossil record. Included in the amber specimen are two fecal pellets from the insect which contain preserved flagellates of the extinct Trypanosoma antiquus
. This association is the oldest known example of the vector association between Triatoma
and Trypanosoma
. T. dominicana lived in an environment similar to modern moist tropical rain forests.
Though similar to the modern genera Triatoma, Panstrongylus
, and Eratyrus
several physical characters in the specimen are distinct to Triatoma, the size, at 19.5 millimetre (0.767716535433071 in) being smaller than Eratyrus nymphs, and the head and thorax being granulose. Modern Hispaniola
does not have an endemic population of Triatominae species and only the human introduced T. rubrofasciata. Of the three endemic Triatominae species found in the Greater Antilles
T. dominicana resembles some features of T. obscura found on Jamaica
. Based on the contents of the amber specimen including three hematophagous insects, it is likely to have been formed in a tree cavity. Associated with the insects are several mammal hairs from an unidentified Chiropteran, the likely host for T. dominicana.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of assassin bug in the subfamily Triatominae
Triatominae
The members of Triatominae , a subfamily of Reduviidae, are also known as conenose bugs, kissing bugs, assassin bugs or triatomines. Most of the 130 or more species of this subfamily are haematophagous, i.e. feed on vertebrate blood; a very few species feed on other invertebrates...
, the kissing bugs known from early Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
Burdigalian
Burdigalian
The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age or stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma...
stage Dominican amber
Dominican amber
Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic. Resin from the extinct species Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics....
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
..
The species is know from a single 5th instar female nymph exuvia
Exuvia
Exuviae is a term used in biology to describe the remains of an exoskeleton and related structures that are left after ecdysozoans have moulted...
found in Hymenaea protera
Hymenaea protera
Hymenaea protera is an extinct prehistoric leguminous tree, the probable ancestor of present-day Hymenaea species. Most neotropical ambers come from its fossilized resin, including the famous Dominican amber.H...
amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
from deposits in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
, deposited in the Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
as specimen number He-4-73, was mined from the La Toca Dominican amber
Dominican amber
Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic. Resin from the extinct species Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics....
mine. The specimen was first mentioned in a 1995 paper describing the extinct tick Ornithodorus antiquus. Though mostly complete the exuvia is missing the right foreleag, the left middle leg, a small section of antenna and the anteocular region. Triatoma dominicana is the first extinct Triatominae species to be described from the fossil record. Included in the amber specimen are two fecal pellets from the insect which contain preserved flagellates of the extinct Trypanosoma antiquus
Trypanosoma antiquus
Trypanosoma antiquus is an extinct species of kinetoplastid , a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa....
. This association is the oldest known example of the vector association between Triatoma
Triatoma
Triatoma is a genus of assassin bug in the subfamily Triatominae The members of Triatoma are blood-sucking insects that can transmit serious diseases, such as Chagas disease....
and Trypanosoma
Trypanosoma
Trypanosoma is a genus of kinetoplastids , a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa. The name is derived from the Greek trypano and soma because of their corkscrew-like motion. All trypanosomes are heteroxenous and are transmitted via a vector...
. T. dominicana lived in an environment similar to modern moist tropical rain forests.
Though similar to the modern genera Triatoma, Panstrongylus
Panstrongylus
The Genus Panstrongylus Berg, 1879 belongs to the subfamily Triatominae.-Species:Panstrongylus chinai Panstrongylus diasi Pinto & Lent, 1946Panstrongylus geniculatus...
, and Eratyrus
Eratyrus
The genus Eratyrus belongs to the assassin bugs . There are two species in this genus; both are associated with Trypanosoma cruzi:*Eratyrus cuspidatus *Eratyrus mucronatus...
several physical characters in the specimen are distinct to Triatoma, the size, at 19.5 millimetre (0.767716535433071 in) being smaller than Eratyrus nymphs, and the head and thorax being granulose. Modern Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
does not have an endemic population of Triatominae species and only the human introduced T. rubrofasciata. Of the three endemic Triatominae species found in the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
T. dominicana resembles some features of T. obscura found on Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Based on the contents of the amber specimen including three hematophagous insects, it is likely to have been formed in a tree cavity. Associated with the insects are several mammal hairs from an unidentified Chiropteran, the likely host for T. dominicana.