{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,28]],"date-time":"2026-10-28T15:32:26Z","timestamp":1793201546237,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788480000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pages\/standard-publication-reuse-rights"}],"funder":[{"name":"Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico Nacional","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/059sp8j34","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"the Instituto de Biolog\u00eda","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/049b2cm85","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"the Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01fh86n78","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100016991","name":"Universidad de Guadalajara","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100016991","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Triatomines are the primary vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas), the causative organism of Chagas disease, one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Mexico. Triatomine dispersal encompasses a broad spectrum of flight capacities, ranging from short-distance, low-altitude flights to active, sustained dispersal in certain species. Although recent studies have examined the phenotypic and genetic variability of flight-related traits, the specific morphological constraints hindering their aerodynamic efficiency remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comparative ultrastructural description of the wing-coupling apparatus (coaptor) in seven North American triatomine species: Triatoma bassolsae (Alejandre et al.), T. picturata (Usinger), T. pallidipennis (St\u00e5l), T. longipennis (Usinger), T. rubida (Uhler), T. mazzottii (Usinger), and Paratriatoma lecticularia (St\u00e5l). Using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the topography of the ctenidia, the mechanical gap, and imbricated scale-like structures were characterized. The results revealed a consistent tripartite morphological pattern across all species; however, all the species exhibited a central morphological discontinuity separating the ctenidium from the posterior rugose prominence. Ctenidial bristle count showed interspecific variation, ranging from 16 visible bristles in T. rubida to 33 in T. bassolsae. These counts corresponded to the anterior row of the ctenidium captured in SEM micrographs at 500\u00d7 magnification. These findings provide high-resolution diagnostic cuticular characters for species differentiation and led to the hypothesis that a structural discontinuity along the hemelytron margin may influence functional wing coupling. This study highlights the importance of ultrastructural analysis in providing high-resolution diagnostic traits to complement traditional taxonomy and understanding Triatominae functional morphology.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/jme\/tjag161","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T11:35:56Z","timestamp":1791977756000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Ultrastructure of the wing-coupling apparatus in seven Triatominae species (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from North\u00a0America"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"63","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7636-6998","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nayeli","family":"Gonzalez-Rodriguez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Patolog\u00eda, Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biol\u00f3gicas, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico Nacional , Ciudad de M\u00e9xico,","place":["M\u00e9xico"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-0734-5739","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Osiris","family":"Valerio-Mendoza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Biolog\u00eda, Departamento de Zoolog\u00eda, Colecci\u00f3n Nacional de Insectos, Universidad Nacional Aut\u00f3noma de M\u00e9xico , Ciudad de M\u00e9xico,","place":["M\u00e9xico"]},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n , Nuevo Le\u00f3n,","place":["M\u00e9xico"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9564-7066","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Benjam\u00edn","family":"Nogueda-Torres","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Helmintolog\u00eda, Departamento de Parasitolog\u00eda, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biol\u00f3gicas, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico Nacional , Ciudad de M\u00e9xico,","place":["M\u00e9xico"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2062-8618","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tzintli","family":"Meraz-Medina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Entomolog\u00eda M\u00e9dica, Centro Universitario del Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara , Ciudad Guzm\u00e1n, Jalisco,","place":["M\u00e9xico"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6600-654X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Alejandro","family":"Mart\u00ednez-Ibarra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Entomolog\u00eda M\u00e9dica, Centro Universitario del Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara , Ciudad Guzm\u00e1n, Jalisco,","place":["M\u00e9xico"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026102810422290700_tjag161-B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1100","DOI":"10.3390\/insects12121100","article-title":"Revision and phylogenetic analysis of the genus Phonoctonus St\u00e5l, 1853 (Heteroptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae)","volume":"12","author":"Bugaj-Nawrocka","year":"2021","journal-title":"Insects"},{"key":"2026102810422290700_tjag161-B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2006.12.007","article-title":"Flight dispersal of the Chagas disease vectors Triatoma brasiliensis and Triatoma pseudomaculata in Northeastern Brazil","volume":"101","author":"Carbajal de la Fuente","year":"2007","journal-title":"Acta Trop"},{"key":"2026102810422290700_tjag161-B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1010","DOI":"10.1603\/me14014","article-title":"Flight behavior and performance of Rhodnius pallescens (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) on a tethered flight mill","volume":"51","author":"Castro","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. 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