The epipharyngeal organ of the blood feeder Rhodnius prolixus

Obligate blood feeding insects, such as the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus, obtain nutrients and water necessary to ensure survival from the vertebrate blood. In general, insects detect the suitability of the ingested food through taste sensilla situated in the pharynx while they are bathed with the incoming food. Then, only if the insect requirements are fulfilled, animals initiate feeding. Although this constitutes a relevant instance, mechanisms of food evaluation in blood sucking insects remain still largely unknown. Therefore, in this work, we characterized the epipharyngeal organ through multiple approaches to get inside its role in food assessment in kissing bugs. R. prolixus.