[Survival and occurrence of molting in Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) after temperature shock].
Sobrevivência e ocorrência de muda em Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) após choque de temperatura.
Survival and molting occurrence were studied in specimens of Triatoma infestans over 30 days after temperature shocks. Hyperthermal and hypothermal shocks could be found to affect both survival and molting incidence as a function of temperature and period of the development phase and sex of the specimens. Considering the various test conditions, the shock at 0 degree C for 12 h was found to elicit the most deleterious effect, whereas shocks at 40 degrees C and 0 degree C even for 1 h are interpreted as affecting the hormonal balance which controls molting. Cases of a rise in post-shock survival are suggested to have been favored by heat-shock protein action.