Editing Triatoma protracta

{{short description|Blood-sucking bug, spreading disease}}
{{speciesbox
| taxon = Triatoma protracta
| authority = [[Philip Reese Uhler|Uhler]], 1894
| image = Triatoma protracta 89171778.jpg
}}

'''''Triatoma protracta''''' is a species of bugs in the family [[Reduviidae]]. It is known commonly as the '''western bloodsucking conenose'''.<ref name=uc>[http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7455.html Conenose Bugs.] Pests of Homes, Structures, People, and Pets. Publication 7455, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.</ref> It is distributed in the western United States<ref name=cdc>[https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/t_protracta.html ''Triatoma protracta''.] Parasites - American Trypanosomiasis (also known as Chagas Disease). United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).</ref> and Mexico.<ref>Martínez-Ibarra, J. A., et al. (2012). [http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0074-02762012000500013&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es The biology of three Mexican-American species of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): ''Triatoma recurva'', ''Triatoma protracta'' and ''Triatoma rubida''.] ''Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz'', 107(5), 659-663.</ref>

This species and other "kissing bugs" are vectors of ''[[Trypanosoma cruzi]]'', the protozoan that causes [[Chagas disease]].<ref name=hwang>Hwang, W. S., Zhang, G., Maslov, D., & Weirauch, C. (2010). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2963962/ Infection rates of ''Triatoma protracta'' (Uhler) with ''Trypanosoma cruzi'' in Southern California and molecular identification of trypanosomes.] ''The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene'', 83(5), 1020-1022.</ref>

This species is between 0.5 and 0.75 inches long. It is dark brown to black in color with a lighter margin along the abdomen. The wings lie flat across the back. The "beak" has three segments and curls beneath the head. The [[Nymph (biology)|nymph]] is similar in appearance but it is smaller and lacks wings.<ref name=uc/>

This insect and others of its genus live in the nests of animals such as [[pack rat]]s (genus ''Neotoma''). They become pests when they invade houses. They bite humans, producing irritation to the skin and sometimes severe allergic reactions.<ref name=uc/> The insects are also known to have three subspecies including:

* ''T. protracta woodi''
* ''T. protracta protracta''
* ''T. protracta navajoensis''

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Wood, S. F. and F. D. Wood. (1967). [http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pi/pdf/9(3)-537.pdf Ecological relationships of ''Triatoma p. protracta'' (Uhler) in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, Calif.] ''Pacific Insects'' 9(3) 537–50.

{{Taxonbar|from=Q3027508}}

[[Category:Insect vectors of human pathogens]]
[[Category:Reduviidae]]
[[Category:Insects described in 1894]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Philip Reese Uhler]]
[[Category:Hemiptera of North America]]


{{Parasite-insect-stub}}

[[es:Triatoma infestans]]