Under pressure: phenotypic divergence and convergence associated with microhabitat adaptations in Triatominae (vol 14, 195, 2021)

Summary: This study investigated the phenotypic, morphological, and molecular genetic analyses of Rhodnius ecuadoriensis populations across different habitats, revealing three major phenotypic variants. The study found significant differences in phenotype among bugs from different microhabitats, suggesting microhabitat adaptations play a role in driving phenotypic diversity within the species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that Ecuadorian and Peruvian populations are two independently evolving lineages, with little within-lineage phylogeographic structuring or differentiation.