The geometrical patterns of egg cells of Triatoma patagonica Del Ponte, 1929, a species considered to be an active vector of Chagas' disease, were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Eggs of known age were selected according to their morphological characteristics, namely those which were 5 days old, 14 days old, and those which were hatched. Images of the exchorion were registered in the cephalic, caudal, and medial areas. The results showed that T. patagonica eggs evidence that in their cephalic and caudal areas, cells have either an hexagonal, pentagonal, or quadrilateral configuration, while in the medial area, cells have mainly an hexagonal configuration. It was also observed that the geometrical patterns of the different parts of the egg undergo no changes during embryonal development.
Triatoma patagonica; ultrastructure; Chagas' disease; Triatominae; eggs
