Epizootiology of Trypanosoma Cruzi in Southwestern North America Part XII: Does Gause's Rule Apply to the Ectoparasitic Triatominae? (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) (Kinetoplastidae: Trypanosomidae) (Rodentia: Cricetidae)1

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Abstract
Eleven neotomaphilic populations of Triatominae were found to be geographically and ecologically sympatric and were also nutritional homologues over a large portion of southwestern North America. These sympatric associations and nutritional homologues are not presented as disproving Gause's rule, but rather that Gause's rule does not apply because active interspecific competition does not occur under the circumstances described. The incidence of parasitism on Triatoma by the mite Pimeliaphilus plumifer and the infection rates of the triatomes with TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI in an Arizona population of Triatoma is reported.