Triatoma protracta
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| Triatoma protracta | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Triatoma protracta Uhler, 1894 |
Triatoma protracta (commonly called Western Conenose, vinchuca, Mexican bedbugs or Kissing Bug) is an assassin bug (family Reduviidae) of the order Hemiptera. A 2 cm, brown-black nocturnal insect found in forests. Common in the southwestern USA.
This particular species lives in association, and feeds almost exclusively on wood rats of the genus Neotoma. While this species carries the parasite that can cause Chagas disease, it rarely infects humans as defecation is delayed 20-30 minutes after feeding, in contrast to the immediate defecation behaviour displayed by the Latin American species. The Western Conenose is still dangerous as its bite is painless, and its saliva can cause allergic reactions up to and including anaphylactic shock.
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