Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Cimicomorpha » Assassin Bugs (Reduviidae) » Kissing Bugs (Triatominae)

Subfamily Triatominae - Kissing Bugs

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Range · Habitat · Food · Remarks · Print References · Works Cited
Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose - Triatoma sanguisuga Conenose - Triatoma sanguisuga Triatoma sanguisuga Female, Triatoma recurva? - Triatoma recurva - female Arizona Assassin for ID - Triatoma protracta Assassin bug - Triatoma protracta Triatoma sanguisuga Triatoma sanguisuga - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Infraorder Cimicomorpha
Family Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Subfamily Triatominae (Kissing Bugs)
Other Common Names
Conenoses; barbeiro, bicudo, chupão (Brazil); vinchuca, chipo, pito, chinchorro, chirimacho, iquipito, chupon (in various Spanish-speaking Latin American countries); Bush Chinch (Belize)(1)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
revised in (2)
Explanation of Names
Triatominae Jeannel 1919
Numbers
11 spp. in 2 genera in our area, 160 spp. in ~20 genera total(3)
Size
5-45 mm (most spp. 20-28 mm)(1), in our area, 13-33 mm
Range
mostly New World (s. Argentina to central US) + 12 spp. in s. Asia and a single pantropical sp. (Triatoma rubrofasciata) in Africa(1)
Habitat
Sheltered habitats used by the hosts(1) ie caves, logs, nests, human habitations, etc.
Food
Blood of various tetrapods(1)
Has a symbiotic relationship with Arsenophonus triatominarum, a proteobacteria, that assist in providing the insect with sufficient amino acids.(4)
Remarks
12 spp. in 3 genera (Triatoma, Rhodnius, Panstrongylus) are considered major vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi (the causative agent of Chagas Disease), but none of those occur in our area(1)
Many specimens of Triatoma have been positive for Trypanosoma cruzi in our area, mostly in sw US. In the southeast (TN‒AL‒GA‒FL‒LA) positive T. sanguisuga are very sporadic. In the west and Texas, T. gerstaeckeri, T. protracta, T. recurva, and T. rubida are the main vectors.
Print References
(5)
Works Cited
1.Medical and Veterinary Entomology
Gary Mullen, Lance Durden. 2002. Academic Press.
2.Revision of the Triatominae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae), and their significance as vectors of Chagas' disease
Lent H., Wygodzinsky P. 1979. Bull. AMNH 163: 1‒520.
3.BioLib.cz
4.The Insects : Structure and Function
R. F. Chapman. 1998. Cambridge University Press.
5.Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas' Disease in the United States
Bern C., Kjos S., Yabsley M., Montgomery S.P. 2011. Clin. microbiol. rev. 24: 655-681.
Contributed by v belov on 3 April, 2010 - 9:36pm
Additional contributions by drswanny, Marci Hess, Arturo Santos
Last updated 10 October, 2023 - 8:43pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact