[2] They are considered a highly important species concerning the infectious Chagas disease as they carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, that can be transmitted to the blood of mammals, including humans.

Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) can identify taxonomic relationships on a molecular level providing valid phylogenetic evidence on speciation.

[7] Using mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis, R. nasutus has been dated 66 thousand years, giving rise to stable populations during the Pleistocene-Holocene epochs.

[8] This time frame is consistent with the climate change event that took place in South America which marked the end of a major drought and dry season.

R. nasutus is predominantly found in the caatinga biome of Northeast Brazil, although due to increased deforestation and environmental damage the insect has expanded its geographic range and habitat.

[14] Biological controls such as the "Mark-Release-Recapture" (MRR) method, involving the placement and evaluation of trace elements in R. nasutus, allows for long-lasting molecular marking under natural conditions.

Understanding the movement of these insect vectors provides important information regarding medical insights and preventative measures towards the transmission of Chagas disease.

If the host disrupts the fecal matter by scratching or any other means of moving the feces around, T. cruzi will be able to get in through the pierced skin where it then spreads disease throughout the bloodstream.

[19] [1] This video shows how the transmission of harmful diseases via T. cruzi is not limited to Latin America and Brazil, but has made its way through other Rhodnius species posing threats to Americans in Tennessee, US.