Signs of Urban Evolution? Morpho-Functional Traits Co-variation Along a Nature-Urban Gradient in a Chagas Disease Vector

Environmental change (i.e., urbanization) impacts species in contrasting ways, with some experiencing benefits given their way of life blood-sucking insects). How these respond to such is not well understood and for involved human diseases, this “how” question particularly important. Most Triatominae bug inhabit tropical subtropical forests where vertebrate hosts’ temporal abundance depends on climate seasonality. However, encroached landscapes, triatomines can benefit from resource stability which may lead adaptive phenotypic track novel hosts. We tested an association between different landscapes morpho-functional traits linked sensory, motion, feeding functions Triatoma dimidiata compared fecundity number eggs) each landscape as a proxy fitness. Using geometric traditional morphometric tools, we predicted morphological simplification bugs inhabiting urbanized areas. While wing morphology or proboscis were influenced by class, the opposite occurred thorax sensilla. Wing did covary under modified scenarios, yet detected convergence size antennal phenotype both sexes, trend, nature urban settings. Given no differences across there potential reproductive costs. Moreover, suggests flight/locomotion performance host/environment perception, possible response relaxed selective pressures bug’s native habitat. These results imply that T. could be adapting