Dear editor:
A recent Short Communication published by Franzim-Junior et al.1 in the RSBMT [Franzim-Junior E, Mendes MT, Anhê ACBM, Pelli A, Silva MV, Rodrigues-Junior V, Sales-Campos H, Oliveira CJF. The development of Panstrongylus herreri under fluctuating environmental conditions. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2017;50(1):121-5], presented an important study on the one species of the genus Panstrongylus (classified as Panstrongylus herreri Wygodzinsky, 1948). The article included the following statement “P. herreri, also described as P. lignarius” and the article by Marcilla et al.2 was cited; however, we clarify that the species P. herreri was synonymized with P. lignarius (Walker, 1873) by Marcilla et al.2. By the Principle of Priority (Article 23 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted-sites/iczn/code/) that states “the valid name of a taxon is the oldest available name applied to it…”, Franzim-Junior et al.1 presented the development of P. lignarius under fluctuating environmental conditions.
In addition, Franzim-Junior et al.1 stated “The Triatominae subfamily is comprised of approximately 140 species…”, neglecting almost a decade of Triatominae taxonomy, in which nine species were described (Rhodnius zeledoni Jurberg et al., 20093, P. martinezorum Ayala, 20094, Mepraia parapatrica Frias-Lasserre, 20105, R. montenegrensis Rosa et al., 20126, R. barretti Abad-Franch et al., 20137, Triatoma jatai Gonçalves et al., 20138, T. pintodiasi Jurberg et al., 20139 and R. marabaensis Souza et al., 201610, R. taquarussuensis Rosa et al., 201711), one subspecies and one species were revalidated (T. b. macromelasoma Galvão, 195612 and T. bahiensis Sherlock and Serafim, 196713), and two fossil species were discovered (T. dominicana Poinar, 200514and P. hispaniolae Poinar, 201315), with a total of 153 species in the Triatominae subfamily distributed in five tribes and 18 genera (Table 1).
Tribe | Genus | Species (n) |
---|---|---|
Alberproseniini | Alberprosenia | 2 |
Bolboderini | Belminus | 8 |
Bolbodera | 1 | |
Microtriatoma | 2 | |
Parabelminus | 2 | |
Cavernicolini | Cavernicola | 2 |
Rhodniini | Psammolestes | 3 |
Rhodnius | 21 | |
Triatomini | Dipetalogaster | 1 |
Eratyrus | 2 | |
Hermanlentia | 1 | |
Linshcosteus | 6 | |
Meccus | 6 | |
Mepraia | 3 | |
Nesotriatoma | 3 | |
Panstrongylus | 15 | |
Paratriatoma | 1 | |
Triatoma | 74 | |
Total | 153 |