Variabilidad genética de poblaciones de Triatoma flavida (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) en la península de Guanahacabibes

introduction: chagas disease is a triatomineos-borne disease. triatoma flavida is an indigenous cuban species, presumably attracted to houses by light and it is the most abundant species in the country. objective: the intrapopulatinal and interpopulational genetic variability of t. flavida collected in the western region, using the random amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) technique, thus determining possible genetic relationships among the populations. methods: a total of ten random primers (opa-1 at the 10) were used to evaluate the genetic variability in one population and among 9 populations of t. flavida using the rapd technique. we also evaluate the genetic diversity among wild individuals and their first generation (f1) obtained in the laboratory as well as different stages of this species. results: differences were not detected in the amplification patterns among the wild individuals and the f1. the same results were achieved among different life cycles of this species. genetic homogeneity of the studied population and low genetic variability among different t. flavida populations were observed. two well-defined groups were obtained according to random amplified polymorphic dna data; they matched with the geographical origin in the populations captured in areas from east and west of guanahacabibes, pinar del río. among these populations, small genetic differentiation (fst 0,030) was found as well as migration rates (n> 1), which reveals the gene flow and genetic homogeneity. conclusions: the results of this study constitute an approach to the genetic structure of t. flavida. the genetic homogeneity between wild individuals of t. flavida represents an important item for the implementation of the vector control programs.