Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

12 Jul, 09 AM - 17 Jul, 03 AM

The kissing bug project (led by Drs. Weirauch and Walter) investigates distribution ranges of the three endemic Californian species and seeks to assess their public health risks (Chagas disease and allergies to bites). Within this framework, we will address two specific objectives while conducting research at Boyd Deep Canyon Research Center during July and August 2010. 1) Investigate presence of Triatoma rubida and Paratriatoma hirsuta in the Center. 2) Obtain live specimens of both species for subsequent ?spitome? analysis. We previously documented observed distribution ranges of California kissing bugs based on ~1,400 specimens that we loaned from various natural history museums and captured during our own collecting efforts. Based on these data, we modeled predicted distribution ranges based on ecological niches (climatic and ecosystem data). Our preliminary model results predict that Boyd Deep Canyon harbors all three species, with T. protracta occurring in the higher elevations of the Center and Triatoma rubida and Paratriatoma hirsuta being restricted to the low elevations at the margins of the Research Center. We would now like to test this prediction by light trapping kissing bugs. Some humans show allergic reactions to bites of kissing bugs and severe allergies including anaphylaxis are not uncommon. For Triatoma protracta, the allergen is known to be the protein procalin, but nothing is know about the allergens in the remaining two endemic species T. rubida and P. hirsuta. We propose to collect ~10-20 specimens of each species to perform salivary gland dissections that will be the basis of ?spitomes?, the genetic transcript of saliva compounds to investigate allergic properties of these two species in California.

Visit #21851 @Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center

Approved

Under Project # 21967 | Research

Kissing Bugs (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in Southern California

faculty - University of California, Riverside

Reservation Members(s)

Christiane Weirauch Jul 12 - 17, 2010 (6 days)
Christiane Weirauch Jul 12 - 17, 2010 (6 days)
Christiane Weirauch Jul 12 - 17, 2010 (6 days)
Group of 2 Undergraduate Student Jul 12 - 17, 2010 (6 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Mayhew housing facilities 5 Jul 12 - 17, 2010
Campground 5 Jul 12 - 17, 2010
Lab Space 5 Jul 12 - 17, 2010