Animals of the Atacama Desert, Chile

Animals of Atacama: Winchuka or Vinchuca

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Winchuka or Vinchuca (Triatoma):
Vinchucas belong to the group of bed bugs (hemiptera) and can be found (unfortunately) very frequently in the Atacama desert. They have sizes from 3 mm to 1.5 cm. They are usually brown/grey, some have red markings.
Vinchuca can transmit Chagas disease. That's why you have to protect yourself well in the desert, especially where there is a high population and a high number of infected individuals. Always leave the tent tightly closed, observe the ground towards the direction from where the wind blows. Vinchuca is generally found in the Atacama region of the Atacama region in the sector Inca de Oro, Quebrada Chañaral Alto, but also in other places.

Interesting is the description of R. A. Philippi during his trip to Atacama:
"Strange is that here in Atacama (today: San Pedro de Atacama) there are no mosquitoes, fleas or cockroaches, but that's why vinchucas often appear. Brown cockroaches with wings, which reach as an adult a length of 11 lines and annoy those who sleep at night. In one morning we killed 42 animals, including the little ones, in my bed. I never felt the itches, but my companion, Mr. Döll, had great discomfort and suffered a lot, the swelling remained for several days." (Philippi, 1856)

Obviously at this time they did not know the danger of infection from Chagas disease.

Informative Chart:
Systematic:
Arthrópoda / Insecta / Hemiptera / Reduviidae / Triatoma
Habitat: Plenum Desert, near mining districts

more photos:

normal: 350  / large: 700

PHILIPPI, Rodulfo Amando (1856): Die sogenannte Wüste Atacama. - Mittheilungen aus Justus Pertes geographischer Anstalt; Petermann; Justus Pertes; Gotha.

Wikipedia y Chagas:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfermedad_de_Chagas
Wikipedia y Vinchuca:
 http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinchuca