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Loh YM, Xu YY, Lee TT, Ohashi TS, Zhang YD, Eberl DF, Su MP, Kamikouchi A. Differences in male Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus hearing systems facilitate recognition of conspecific female flight tones. iScience 2024; 27:110264. [PMID: 39027372 PMCID: PMC11255862 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
When Aedes albopictus mosquitoes invade regions predominated by Aedes aegypti, either the latter can be displaced or the species can coexist, with potential consequences on disease transmission. Males from both species identify females by listening for her flight sounds. Comparing male hearing systems may provide insight into how hearing could prevent interspecific mating. Here, we show that species-specific differences in female wing beat frequencies are reflected in differences in male ear mechanical tuning frequencies and sound response profiles. Though Aedes albopictus males are attracted to sound, they do not readily display abdominal bending, unlike Aedes aegypti. We observed interspecific differences in male ear mechanical, but not electrical, tuning, suggesting a conserved primary auditory processing pathway. Our work suggests a potential role for hearing in the premating isolation of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, with implications for predicting future dynamics in their sympatric relationships and our understanding of mosquito acoustic communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- YuMin M. Loh
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yifeng Y.J. Xu
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tai-Ting Lee
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takuro S. Ohashi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yixiao D. Zhang
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Daniel F. Eberl
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Matthew P. Su
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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2
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Gupta S, Cribellier A, Poda SB, Roux O, Muijres FT, Riffell JA. Multisensory integration in Anopheles mosquito swarms: The role of visual and acoustic information in mate tracking and collision avoidance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.18.590128. [PMID: 38712209 PMCID: PMC11071295 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Male mosquitoes form aerial aggregations, known as swarms, to attract females and maximize their chances of finding a mate. Within these swarms, individuals must be able to recognize potential mates and navigate the dynamic social environment to successfully intercept a mating partner. Prior research has almost exclusively focused on the role of acoustic cues in mediating the male mosquito's ability to recognize and pursue flying females. However, the role of other sensory modalities in this behavior has not been explored. Moreover, how males avoid collisions with one another in the dense swarm while pursuing females remains poorly understood. In this study, we combined free-flight and tethered flight simulator experiments to demonstrate that swarming Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes integrate visual and acoustic information to track conspecifics and avoid collisions. Our tethered experiments revealed that acoustic stimuli gated mosquito steering responses to visual objects simulating nearby mosquitoes, especially in males that exhibited attraction to visual objects in the presence of female flight tones. Additionally, we observed that visual cues alone could trigger changes in mosquitoes' wingbeat amplitude and frequency. These findings were corroborated by our free-flight experiments, which revealed that mosquitoes modulate their flight responses to nearby conspecifics in a similar manner to tethered animals, allowing for collision avoidance within swarms. Together, these results demonstrate that both males and females integrate multiple sensory inputs to mediate swarming behavior, and for males, the change in flight kinematics in response to multimodal cues allows them to simultaneously track females while avoiding collisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Gupta
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Antoine Cribellier
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Serge B. Poda
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Olivier Roux
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Florian T. Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey A. Riffell
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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3
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League GP, Alfonso-Parra C, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Harrington LC. Acoustic-Related Mating Behavior in Tethered and Free-Flying Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:Pdb.top107667. [PMID: 35960619 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Acoustics play an essential role in mosquito communication, particularly during courtship and mating. Mosquito mating occurs in flight and is coordinated by the perception of wingbeat tones. Flight tone frequencies have been shown to mediate sex recognition in Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Toxorhynchites genera and are thus a conserved feature of mating across the mosquito family (Culicidae). Upon recognizing a flying female, males respond phonotactically by lunging toward the female and initiating a precopulatory courtship flight interaction. During this interaction, males and females often harmonize their flight tones in a behavior known as harmonic convergence, and male acoustics display rapid frequency modulation. These acoustic phenomena have been characterized both in tethered and free-flying mosquitoes using similar audio recording and analysis methods. Further, the manipulation of mosquito acoustic-related mating behavior shows great promise as a tool for reproductive control strategies. In this brief methodological introduction, we provide an overview of the biological and technical concepts necessary for understanding the recording and analysis of mosquito mating acoustics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia, 055413
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology
| | - Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, 050010
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
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Pantoja-Sánchez H, League GP, Harrington LC, Alfonso-Parra C. Recording and Analysis of Mosquito Acoustic-Related Mating Behavior. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:Pdb.prot107989. [PMID: 35960617 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot107989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In mosquitoes, courtship and mating sounds are produced by the movement of the wings during flight. These sounds, usually referred to as flight tones, have been studied using tethered and free-flying individuals. Here, we describe a general approach for recording and analyzing mosquito acoustic-related mating behaviors that can be broadly adapted to a variety of experimental designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, 050010
| | - Garrett P League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia, 055413
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, 050010
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Nakata T, Simões P, Walker SM, Russell IJ, Bomphrey RJ. Auditory sensory range of male mosquitoes for the detection of female flight sound. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220285. [PMID: 36000227 PMCID: PMC9399701 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Male mosquitoes detect and localize conspecific females by their flight-tones using the Johnston's organ (JO), which detects antennal deflections under the influence of local particle motion. Acoustic behaviours of mosquitoes and their JO physiology have been investigated extensively within the frequency domain, yet the auditory sensory range and the behaviour of males at the initiation of phonotactic flights are not well known. In this study, we predict a maximum spatial sensory envelope for flying Culex quinquefasciatus by integrating the physiological tuning response of the male JO with female aeroacoustic signatures derived from numerical simulations. Our sensory envelope predictions were tested with a behavioural assay of free-flying males responding to a female-like artificial pure tone. The minimum detectable particle velocity observed during flight tests was in good agreement with our theoretical prediction formed by the peak JO sensitivity measured in previous studies. The iso-surface describing the minimal detectable particle velocity represents the quantitative auditory sensory range of males and is directional with respect to the female body orientation. Our results illuminate the intricacy of the mating behaviour and point to the importance of observing the body orientation of flying mosquitoes to understand fully the sensory ecology of conspecific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simon M. Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Ian J. Russell
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
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6
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Ziemer T, Wetjen F, Herbst A. The Antenna Base Plays a Crucial Role in Mosquito Courtship Behavior. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.803611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of pathogens that cause diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika. For mosquito control it is crucial to understand their hearing system, as mosquitoes’ courting behavior is mostly auditory. Many nonlinear characteristics of the mosquito hearing organ have been observed through behavioral studies and neural measurements. These enable mosquitoes to detect and synchronize to other mosquitoes. Many hypotheses concerning the role of the flagellum and the fibrillae of the antenna in mosquito hearing have been made, and neural processes have been considered as the origin of the nonlinearities. In this study we introduce a geometric model based on the morphology of the mosquito antenna base. The model produces many of the observed nonlinear characteristics, providing evidence that the base of the antenna plays a crucial role in mosquito hearing. Even without neural processing, the antenna response to sound produces behaviorally relevant cues that can inform about the presence, location, and sex of other mosquitoes.
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Harmonic convergence coordinates swarm mating by enhancing mate detection in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24102. [PMID: 34916521 PMCID: PMC8677761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Anopheles gambiae is a major African malaria vector, transmitting parasites responsible for significant mortality and disease burden. Although flight acoustics are essential to mosquito mating and present promising alternatives to insecticide-based vector control strategies, there is limited data on mosquito flight tones during swarming. Here, for the first time, we present detailed analyses of free-flying male and female An. gambiae flight tones and their harmonization (harmonic convergence) over a complete swarm sequence. Audio analysis of single-sex swarms showed synchronized elevation of male and female flight tones during swarming. Analysis of mixed-sex swarms revealed additional 50 Hz increases in male and female flight tones due to mating activity. Furthermore, harmonic differences between male and female swarm tones in mixed-sex swarms and in single-sex male swarms with artificial female swarm audio playback indicate that frequency differences of approximately 50 Hz or less at the male second and female third harmonics (M2:F3) are maintained both before and during mating interactions. This harmonization likely coordinates male scramble competition by maintaining ideal acoustic recognition within mating pairs while acoustically masking phonotactic responses of nearby swarming males to mating females. These findings advance our knowledge of mosquito swarm acoustics and provide vital information for reproductive control strategies.
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8
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Sinka ME, Zilli D, Li Y, Kiskin I, Kirkham D, Rafique W, Wang L, Chan H, Gutteridge B, Herreros‐Moya E, Portwood H, Roberts S, Willis KJ. HumBug – An Acoustic Mosquito Monitoring Tool for use on budget smartphones. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Davide Zilli
- Mind Foundry Ltd Oxford UK
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | - Ivan Kiskin
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | - Waqas Rafique
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Lawrence Wang
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Henry Chan
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | | | | | - Stephen Roberts
- Mind Foundry Ltd Oxford UK
- Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford Oxford UK
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9
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League GP, Harrington LC, Pitcher SA, Geyer JK, Baxter LL, Montijo J, Rowland JG, Johnson LM, Murdock CC, Cator LJ. Sexual selection theory meets disease vector control: Testing harmonic convergence as a "good genes" signal in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009540. [PMID: 34214096 PMCID: PMC8282061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The mosquito Aedes aegypti is a medically important, globally distributed vector of the viruses that cause dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika. Although reproduction and mate choice are key components of vector population dynamics and control, our understanding of the mechanisms of sexual selection in mosquitoes remains poor. In “good genes” models of sexual selection, females use male cues as an indicator of both mate and offspring genetic quality. Recent studies in Ae. aegypti provide evidence that male wingbeats may signal aspects of offspring quality and performance during mate selection in a process known as harmonic convergence. However, the extent to which harmonic convergence may signal overall inherent quality of mates and their offspring remains unknown. Methodology/Principal findings To examine this, we measured the relationship between acoustic signaling and a broad panel of parent and offspring fitness traits in two generations of field-derived Ae. aegypti originating from dengue-endemic field sites in Thailand. Our data show that in this population of mosquitoes, harmonic convergence does not signal male fertility, female fecundity, or male flight performance traits, which despite displaying robust variability in both parents and their offspring were only weakly heritable. Conclusions/Significance Together, our findings suggest that vector reproductive control programs should treat harmonic convergence as an indicator of some, but not all aspects of inherent quality, and that sexual selection likely affects Ae. aegypti in a trait-, population-, and environment-dependent manner. Mosquitoes transmit numerous pathogens that disproportionately impact developing countries. The mosquito Aedes aegypti, studied here, transmits viruses that cause neglected tropical diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika. Disease prevention programs rely heavily upon mosquito vector control. To successfully interrupt disease transmission, several control methods depend upon the ability of laboratory-modified male mosquitoes to successfully mate with wild females to suppress or replace natural populations. However, our understanding of what determines mating success in mosquitoes is far from complete. Our study addresses the question of whether female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes use male acoustic signals to select higher quality mates and improve their offspring’s fitness. We find that acoustic signals do not serve as universal indicators of fitness. Further, the fitness metrics we measured were only weakly heritable, suggesting that females that mate with high quality males do not necessarily produce fitter offspring. Our study provides a nuanced understanding of mate choice, mating acoustic signals, and parent and offspring reproductive fitness in a key disease-transmitting mosquito species. These discoveries improve our grasp of sexual selection in mosquitoes and can be leveraged by the vector control community to improve vitally important disease prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P. League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Laura C. Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sylvie A. Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Julie K. Geyer
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Lindsay L. Baxter
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Julian Montijo
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - John G. Rowland
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Lynn M. Johnson
- Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Courtney C. Murdock
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lauren J. Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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10
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Wang Q, Xiao Y, An XK, Shan S, Khashaveh A, Gu SH, Zhang YH, Zhang YJ. Functional Characterization of a Candidate Sex Pheromone Receptor AlinOR33 Involved in the Chemoreception of Adelphocoris lineolatus. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:6769-6778. [PMID: 34115502 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c01319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sex pheromones are deemed to play a significant role in sexual communication of most insects. Although many sex pheromone components in mirid bugs have been identified, the roles of odorant receptors in sex pheromone perception in Adelphocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) remain unknown so far. Here, AlinOR33, a candidate sex pheromone receptor in Adelphocoris lineolatus was functionally characterized. Phylogenetic analysis showed that AlinOR33 clustered with the sex pheromone receptor AlucOR4 fromApolygus lucorum. Quantitative real-time PCR measurement revealed that the expression of AlinOR33 increased gradually from nymph to adult stage and reached its peak in the antennae of 3-day-old mated male bugs. The subsequent in situ hybridization demonstrated that AlinOR33 was mainly expressed in sensilla trichoid on the antennae of A. lineolatus. In the two-electrode voltage clamp recordings, AlinOR33/AlinOrco was specifically tuned to four sex pheromone components including butyl butyrate, hexyl hexanoate, trans-2-hexenyl butyrate and hexyl butyrate, and especially most sensitive to the major component trans-2-hexenyl butyrate. After dsAlinOR33 injection, the electroantennogram responses of males to four sex pheromone components were reduced significantly (∼50%). Compared to control bugs, dsAlinOR33-injected male bugs almost lost behavioral preference for trans-2-hexenyl butyrate. Furthermore, the wingbeat frequency of dsAlinOR33-injected male bugs notably declined. Therefore, we conclude that as a candidate sex pheromone receptor, AlinOR33 plays essential roles in the sexual behavior of A. lineolatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yong Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xing-Kui An
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shuang Shan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Adel Khashaveh
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shao-Hua Gu
- College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yun-Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yong-Jun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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11
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Reitmayer CM, Pathak AK, Harrington LC, Brindley MA, Cator LJ, Murdock CC. Sex, age, and parental harmonic convergence behavior affect the immune performance of Aedes aegypti offspring. Commun Biol 2021; 4:723. [PMID: 34117363 PMCID: PMC8196008 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Harmonic convergence is a potential cue, female mosquitoes use to choose male mates. However, very little is known about the benefits this choice confers to offspring performance. Using Aedes aegypti (an important vector of human disease), we investigated whether offspring of converging parental pairs showed differences in immune competence compared to offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Here we show that harmonic convergence, along with several other interacting factors (sex, age, reproductive, and physiological status), significantly shaped offspring immune responses (melanization and response to a bacterial challenge). Harmonic convergence had a stronger effect on the immune response of male offspring than on female offspring. Further, female offspring from converging parental pairs disseminated dengue virus more quickly than offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Our results provide insight into a wide range of selective pressures shaping mosquito immune function and could have important implications for disease transmission and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Reitmayer
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Tropical and Global Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Surrey, UK
| | - Ashutosh K Pathak
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Tropical and Global Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Northeast Center for Excellence for Vector-borne Disease Research, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Melinda A Brindley
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Lauren J Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Courtney C Murdock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for Tropical and Global Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Northeast Center for Excellence for Vector-borne Disease Research, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Riverbasin Center, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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12
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Feugère L, Gibson G, Manoukis NC, Roux O. Mosquito sound communication: are male swarms loud enough to attract females? J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210121. [PMID: 33849333 PMCID: PMC8086941 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the unsurpassed sound sensitivity of mosquitoes among arthropods and the sound source power required for long-range hearing, we investigated the distance over which female mosquitoes detect species-specific cues in the sound of station-keeping mating swarms. A common misunderstanding, that mosquitoes cannot hear at long range because their hearing organs are 'particle-velocity' receptors, has clouded the fact that particle velocity is an intrinsic component of sound whatever the distance to the sound source. We exposed free-flying Anopheles coluzzii females to pre-recorded sounds of male An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. swarms over a range of natural sound levels. Sound levels tested were related to equivalent distances between the female and the swarm for a given number of males, enabling us to infer distances over which females might hear large male swarms. We show that females do not respond to swarm sound up to 48 dB sound pressure level (SPL) and that louder SPLs are not ecologically relevant for a swarm. Considering that swarms are the only mosquito sound source that would be loud enough to be heard at long range, we conclude that inter-mosquito acoustic communication is restricted to close-range pair interactions. We also showed that the sensitivity to sound in free-flying males is much enhanced compared to that of tethered ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Feugère
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Gabriella Gibson
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Nicholas C. Manoukis
- Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research Unit, Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
| | - Olivier Roux
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), 01 BP 545 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
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Montoya JP, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Gomez S, Avila FW, Alfonso-Parra C. Flight tone characterisation of the South American malaria vector Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae). Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2021; 116:e200497. [PMID: 33729397 PMCID: PMC7968435 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Flight tones play important roles in mosquito reproduction. Several mosquito species utilise flight tones for mate localisation and attraction. Typically, the female wingbeat frequency (WBF) is lower than males, and stereotypic acoustic behaviors are instrumental for successful copulation. Mosquito WBFs are usually an important species characteristic, with female flight tones used as male attractants in surveillance traps for species identification. Anopheles darlingi is an important Latin American malaria vector, but we know little about its mating behaviors. OBJECTIVES We characterised An. darlingi WBFs and examined male acoustic responses to immobilised females. METHODS Tethered and free flying male and female An. darlingi were recorded individually to determine their WBF distributions. Male-female acoustic interactions were analysed using tethered females and free flying males. FINDINGS Contrary to most mosquito species, An. darlingi females are smaller than males. However, the male's WBF is ~1.5 times higher than the females, a common ratio in species with larger females. When in proximity to a female, males displayed rapid frequency modulations that decreased upon genitalia engagement. Tethered females also modulated their frequency upon male approach, being distinct if the interaction ended in copulation or only contact. MAIN CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of An. darlingi flight acoustics, showing that its precopulatory acoustics are similar to other mosquitoes despite the uncommon male:female size ratio, suggesting that WBF ratios are common communication strategies rather than a physical constraint imposed by size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Pablo Montoya
- Universidad CES, Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Universidad de Antioquia, Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
- Universidad de Antioquia, Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Sebastian Gomez
- Universidad CES, Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
- Universidad de Antioquia, Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Frank William Avila
- Universidad de Antioquia, Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Universidad CES, Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
- Universidad de Antioquia, Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
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Andrés M, Su MP, Albert J, Cator LJ. Buzzkill: targeting the mosquito auditory system. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 40:11-17. [PMID: 32505906 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sound plays an important role in mosquito sensory ecology. Acoustic perception and acoustically driven behaviours therefore represent potentially effective control targets. Previous scientific efforts around acoustic-based control and surveillance have not been systematic and ambiguity around the exact role of acoustic communication in conspecific interactions remains. Here, we briefly review recent advances in mosquito auditory physiology and behavioural ecology as well as ongoing activities to incorporate sound into control and surveillance tools. We highlight areas where increased collaboration between physiologists, molecular biologists, behavioural ecologists and control experts is needed to capitalize on this progress and realize the potential of sound-based technologies and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Andrés
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom; The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew P Su
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom; Division of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Joerg Albert
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom; The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, United Kingdom.
| | - Lauren J Cator
- Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and Environment, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom.
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Nakata T, Phillips N, Simões P, Russell IJ, Cheney JA, Walker SM, Bomphrey RJ. Aerodynamic imaging by mosquitoes inspires a surface detector for autonomous flying vehicles. Science 2020; 368:634-637. [PMID: 32381721 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz9634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Some flying animals use active sensing to perceive and avoid obstacles. Nocturnal mosquitoes exhibit a behavioral response to divert away from surfaces when vision is unavailable, indicating a short-range, mechanosensory collision-avoidance mechanism. We suggest that this behavior is mediated by perceiving modulations of their self-induced airflow patterns as they enter a ground or wall effect. We used computational fluid dynamics simulations of low-altitude and near-wall flights based on in vivo high-speed kinematic measurements to quantify changes in the self-generated pressure and velocity cues at the sensitive mechanosensory antennae. We validated the principle that encoding aerodynamic information can enable collision avoidance by developing a quadcopter with a sensory system inspired by the mosquito. Such low-power sensing systems have major potential for future use in safer rotorcraft control systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiyuki Nakata
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Nathan Phillips
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Patrício Simões
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Jorn A Cheney
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Simon M Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Richard J Bomphrey
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
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Seo JH, Hedrick TL, Mittal R. Mechanism and scaling of wing tone generation in mosquitoes. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2019; 15:016008. [PMID: 31694005 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ab54fc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The generation of sound from flapping (i.e. wing tones) of mosquito (Culex) wings is investigated using computational modeling. The flow field around the wing is simulated by solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using a sharp-interface immersed boundary method, and the aeroacoustic sound is predicted by the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation using data from the aerodynamic simulations. In addition to the aerodynamics, the characteristics of mosquito's wing tone, spectral directivity patterns, and generation mechanisms are investigated. The effects of wing-beat frequency and stroke amplitude are also studied, and scaling analysis for the mean lift, mechanical power, and overall wing tone sound power are performed to understand the effects of the wing shape and kinematics parameters. The analysis shows that the high wing aspect-ratio, high wing beat frequency, and small stroke amplitude adopted by mosquitoes enable efficient generation of high-intensity wing-tones for acoustic communications. The present findings may also apply to the optimized noise control in the flapping-wing micro air vehicles (FWMAV).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hee Seo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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Pantoja-Sánchez H, Gomez S, Velez V, Avila FW, Alfonso-Parra C. Precopulatory acoustic interactions of the New World malaria vector Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:386. [PMID: 31370863 PMCID: PMC6676525 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3648-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anopheles albimanus is a malaria vector in Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean. Although a public health threat, An. albimanus precopulatory mating behaviors are unknown. Acoustics play important roles in mosquito communication, where flight tones allow males to detect and attract potential mates. The importance of sound in precopulatory interactions has been demonstrated in Toxorhynchites brevipalpis, Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles gambiae; convergence in a shared harmonic of the wing beat frequency (WBF) during courtship is thought to increase the chance of copulation. To our knowledge, An. albimanus precopulatory acoustic behaviors have not been described to date. Here, we characterized An. albimanus (i) male and female flight tones; (ii) male–female precopulatory acoustic interactions under tethered and free flight conditions; and (iii) male-male acoustic interactions during free flight. Results We found significant increases in the WBFs of both sexes in free flight compared to when tethered. We observed harmonic convergence between 79% of tethered couples. In free flight, we identified a female-specific behavior that predicts mate rejection during male mating attempts: females increase their WBFs significantly faster during mate rejection compared to a successful copulation. This behavior consistently occurred during mate rejection regardless of prior mating attempts (from the same or differing male). During group flight, males of An. albimanus displayed two distinct flying behaviors: random flight and a swarm-like, patterned flight, each associated with distinct acoustic characteristics. In the transition from random to patterned flight, males converged their WBFs and significantly decreased flight area, male-male proximity and the periodicity of their trajectories. Conclusions We show that tethering of An. albimanus results in major acoustic differences compared to free flight. We identify a female-specific behavior that predicts mate rejection during male mating attempts in this species and show that male groups in free flight display distinct flying patterns with unique audio and visual characteristics. This study shows that An. albimanus display acoustic features identified in other mosquito species, further suggesting that acoustic interactions provide worthwhile targets for mosquito intervention strategies. Our results provide compelling evidence for swarming in this species and suggests that acoustic signaling is important for this behavior. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-019-3648-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.,Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia
| | - Sebastián Gomez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.,Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, 055450, Colombia
| | - Viviana Velez
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, 055450, Colombia. .,Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.
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18
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Female resistance and harmonic convergence influence male mating success in Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2145. [PMID: 30765779 PMCID: PMC6375921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38599-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of mosquito mating biology to reproductive control strategies, a mechanistic understanding of individual mating interactions is currently lacking. Using synchronised high-speed video and audio recordings, we quantified behavioural and acoustic features of mating attempts between tethered female and free-flying male Aedes aegypti. In most couplings, males were actively displaced by female kicks in the early phases of the interaction, while flight cessation prior to adoption of the pre-copulatory mating pose also inhibited copulation. Successful males were kicked at a reduced rate and sustained paired contact-flight for longer than those that were rejected. We identified two distinct phases of acoustic interaction. Rapid frequency modulation of flight tones was observed in all interactions up to acceptance of the male. Harmonic convergence (wingbeat frequency matching) was detected more often in successful attempts, coinciding with the transition to stabilised paired flight and subsequent genital contact. Our findings provide a clearer understanding of the relationship between acoustic interactions and mating performance in mosquitoes, offering insights which may be used to target improvements in laboratory reared lines.
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Menda G, Nitzany EI, Shamble PS, Wells A, Harrington LC, Miles RN, Hoy RR. The Long and Short of Hearing in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. Curr Biol 2019; 29:709-714.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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20
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Lapshin DN, Vorontsov DD. Directional and frequency characteristics of auditory neurons in Culex male mosquitoes. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.208785. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.208785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The paired auditory organ of mosquito, the Johnston's organ (JO), being the receiver of particle velocity component of sound, is directional by its structure. However, to date almost no physiological measurements of its directionality was done. In addition, the recent finding on the grouping of the JO auditory neurons into the antiphase pairs demanded confirmation by different methods. Using the vector superposition of the signals produced by two orthogonally oriented speakers, we measured the directional characteristics of individual units as well as their relations in physiologically distinguishable groups – pairs or triplets. The feedback stimulation method allowed to discriminate responses of the two simultaneously recorded units, and to show that they indeed responded in antiphase. Units of different frequency tuning as well as high-sensitive units (thresholds of 27 dB SPVL and below) were found in every angular sector of the JO, providing the mosquito with the ability to produce complex auditory behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry N. Lapshin
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kharkevich Institute) Bolshoy Karetny per. 19, Moscow, 127994, Russia
| | - Dmitry D. Vorontsov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology Russian Academy of Sciences Vavilova 26, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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21
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Su MP, Andrés M, Boyd-Gibbins N, Somers J, Albert JT. Sex and species specific hearing mechanisms in mosquito flagellar ears. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3911. [PMID: 30254270 PMCID: PMC6156513 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06388-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing is essential for the courtship of one of the major carriers of human disease, the mosquito. Males locate females through flight-tone recognition and both sexes engage in mid-air acoustic communications, which can take place within swarms containing thousands of individuals. Despite the importance of hearing for mosquitoes, its mechanisms are still largely unclear. We here report a multilevel analysis of auditory function across three disease-transmitting mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus). All ears tested display transduction-dependent power gain. Quantitative analyses of mechanotransducer function reveal sex-specific and species-specific variations, including male-specific, highly sensitive transducer populations. Systemic blocks of neurotransmission result in large-amplitude oscillations only in male flagellar receivers, indicating sexually dimorphic auditory gain control mechanisms. Our findings identify modifications of auditory function as a key feature in mosquito evolution. We propose that intra-swarm communication has been a driving force behind the observed sex-specific and species-specific diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Su
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1X 8EE, UK
- Centre for Mathematics and Physics in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology (CoMPLEX), University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Marta Andrés
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1X 8EE, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Nicholas Boyd-Gibbins
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1X 8EE, UK
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Jason Somers
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1X 8EE, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Joerg T Albert
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1X 8EE, UK.
- Centre for Mathematics and Physics in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology (CoMPLEX), University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6DE, UK.
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22
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Lapshin DN, Vorontsov DD. Low-Frequency Sounds Repel Male Mosquitoes Aedes diantaeus N.D.K. (Diptera, Culicidae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s0013873818030028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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23
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Araripe LO, Bezerra JRA, Rivas GBDS, Bruno RV. Locomotor activity in males of Aedes aegypti can shift in response to females' presence. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:254. [PMID: 29669591 PMCID: PMC5907381 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2635-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of physiological and behavioral traits of mosquito vectors has been of growing relevance for the proposition of alternative methods for controlling vector-borne diseases. Despite this, most studies focus on the female's traits, including the behavior of host seeking, the physiology of disease transmission and the site-choice for oviposition. However, understanding the factors that lead to males' reproductive success is of utmost importance, since it can help building new strategies for constraining population growth. Male behavior towards mating varies widely among species and the communication between males and females is the first aspect securing a successful encounter. Here we used an automated monitoring system to study the profile of locomotor activity of Aedes aegypti males in response to female's presence in an adapted confinement tube. We propose a new method to quantify male response to the presence of females, which can be potentially tested as an indicator of the success of one male in recognizing a female for mating. RESULTS Locomotor activity varies in daily cycles regulated by an endogenous clock and synchronized by external factors, such as light and temperature. Our results show the previously described startle response to light, which is displayed as a steep morning activity peak immediately when lights are on. Activity drops during the day and begins to rise again right before evening, happening about 1.5 h earlier in males than in females. Most interestingly, males' activity shows a double peak, and the second peak is very subtle when males are alone and relatively more pronounced when females are present in the confinement tubes. The switch in the peak of activity, measured by the herein suggested Peak Matching Index (PMI), was significantly different between males with and without females. CONCLUSIONS The adapted monitoring system used here allowed us to quantify the response of individual males to nearby females in terms of the extent of the activity peak displacement. In this direction, we created the peak matching index (PMI), a new parameter that we anticipate could be interpreted as the inclination of males to respond to females' presence, and further tested as an indicator of the potential for finding females for mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Ordunha Araripe
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Gustavo Bueno da Silva Rivas
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, FL USA
| | - Rafaela Vieira Bruno
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular/CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Spitzen J, Takken W. Keeping track of mosquitoes: a review of tools to track, record and analyse mosquito flight. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:123. [PMID: 29499744 PMCID: PMC5834890 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2735-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The health impact of mosquito-borne diseases causes a huge burden on human societies. Recent vector control campaigns have resulted in promising declines in incidence and prevalence of these diseases, notably malaria, but resistance to insecticides and drugs are on the rise, threatening to overturn these gains. Moreover, several vector-borne diseases have re-emerged, requiring prompt and effective response measures. To improve and properly implement vector control interventions, the behaviour of the vectors must be well understood with detailed examination of mosquito flight being an essential component. Current knowledge on mosquito behaviour across its life history is briefly presented, followed by an overview of recent developments in automated tracking techniques for detailed interpretation of mosquito behaviour. These techniques allow highly accurate recording and observation of mating, feeding and oviposition behaviour. Software programmes built with specific algorithms enable quantification of these behaviours. For example, the crucial role of heat on host landing and the multimodal integration of carbon dioxide (CO2) with other host cues, has been unravelled based on three-dimensional tracking of mosquito flight behaviour. Furthermore, the behavioural processes underlying house entry and subsequent host searching and finding can be better understood by analysis of detailed flight recordings. Further potential of these technologies to solve knowledge gaps is discussed. The use of tracking techniques can support or replace existing monitoring tools and provide insights on mosquito behaviour that can lead to innovative and more effective vector-control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Spitzen
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
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25
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Genoud AP, Basistyy R, Williams GM, Thomas BP. Optical remote sensing for monitoring flying mosquitoes, gender identification and discussion on species identification. APPLIED PHYSICS. B, LASERS AND OPTICS 2018; 124:46. [PMID: 30505073 PMCID: PMC6269144 DOI: 10.1007/s00340-018-6917-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases are a major challenge for Human health as they affect nearly 700 million people every year and result in over 1 million deaths. Reliable information on the evolution of population and spatial distribution of key insects species is of major importance in the development of eco-epidemiologic models. This paper reports on the remote characterization of flying mosquitoes using a continuous-wave infrared optical remote sensing system. The system is setup in a controlled environment to mimic long-range lidars, mosquitoes are free flying at a distance of ~ 4 m from the collecting optics. The wing beat frequency is retrieved from the backscattered light from mosquitoes transiting through the laser beam. A total of 427 transit signals have been recorded from three mosquito species, males and females. Since the mosquito species and gender are known a priori, we investigate the use of wing beat frequency as the sole predictor variable for two Bayesian classifications: gender alone (two classes) and species/gender (six classes). The gender of each mosquito is retrieved with a 96.5% accuracy while the species/gender of mosquitoes is retrieved with a 62.3% accuracy. Known to be an efficient mean to identify insect family, we discuss the limitations of using wing beat frequency alone to identify insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien P Genoud
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Roman Basistyy
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Gregory M Williams
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Ave., New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Benjamin P Thomas
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Newark, NJ, USA
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26
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Gesto JSM, Araki AS, Caragata EP, de Oliveira CD, Martins AJ, Bruno RV, Moreira LA. In tune with nature: Wolbachia does not prevent pre-copula acoustic communication in Aedes aegypti. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:109. [PMID: 29471864 PMCID: PMC5824586 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2695-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mosquito-borne diseases are rapidly spreading to vast territories, putting at risk most of the world’s population. A key player in this scenario is Aedes aegypti, a hematophagous species which hosts and transmits viruses causing dengue and other serious illnesses. Since vector control strategies relying only on insecticides have proven unsustainable, an alternative method involving the release of Wolbachia-harboring individuals has emerged. Its successful implementation vastly depends on how fit the released individuals are in the natural habitat, being able to mate with wild populations and to spread Wolbachia to subsequent generations. In mosquitoes, an important aspect of reproductive fitness is the acoustic communication between males and females, which translates to interactions between harmonic frequencies in close proximity flight. This study aimed to characterize the flight tone produced by individuals harboring Wolbachia, also evaluating their ability to establish stable acoustic interactions. Methods Wild-type (WT) and Wolbachia-harboring specimens (wMelBr) were thorax-tethered to blunt copper wires and placed at close proximity to sensitive microphones. Wing-beat frequencies (WBFs) were characterized at fundamental and harmonic levels, for both single individuals and couples. Harmonic interactions in homogeneous and heterogeneous couples of WT and wMelBr variants were identified, categorized and quantified accordingly. Results In tethered ‘solo’ flights, individuals harboring Wolbachia developed WBFs, differing slightly, in a sex-dependent way, from those of the WT strain. To test the ability to form harmonic ‘duets’, tethered couples of wMelBr and WT individuals were shuffled in different sex pairs and had their flight tones analyzed. All couple types, with WT and/or wMelBr individuals, were able to interact acoustically in the frequency range of 1300–1500 Hz, which translates to the convergence between male’s second harmonic and female’s third. No significant differences were found in the proportions of interacting couples between the pair types. Surprisingly, spectrograms also revealed the convergence between alternative harmonic frequencies, inside and outside the species putative hearing threshold. Conclusions Wolbachia infection leads to small sex-dependent changes on the flight tones of Ae. aegypti, but it does not seem to prevent the stereotyped harmonic interaction between males and females. Therefore, when released in the natural habitat to breed with native individuals, Wolbachia-harboring individuals shall be fit enough to meet the criteria of acoustically-related mating behavior and promote bacteria dispersion effectively. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2695-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Silveira Moledo Gesto
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Alejandra Saori Araki
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Eric Pearce Caragata
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Caroline Dantas de Oliveira
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ademir Jesus Martins
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)/CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Vieira Bruno
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)/CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciano Andrade Moreira
- Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. .,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)/CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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27
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Simões PMV, Ingham R, Gibson G, Russell IJ. Masking of an auditory behaviour reveals how male mosquitoes use distortion to detect females. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2017.1862. [PMID: 29367389 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mating behaviour of many mosquito species is mediated essentially by sound: males follow and mate with a female mid-flight by detecting and tracking the whine of her flight-tones. The stereotypical rapid frequency modulation (RFM) male behaviour, initiated in response to the detection of the female's flight-tones, has provided a means of investigating these auditory mechanisms while males are free-flying. Mosquitoes hear with their antennae, which vibrate to near-field acoustic excitation. The antennae generate nonlinear vibrations (distortion products, DPs) at frequencies that are equal to the difference between the two simultaneously presented tones, e.g. the male and female flight-tones, which are detected by mechanoreceptors in the auditory Johnston's organ (JO) at the base of the antenna. Recent studies indicated the male mosquito's JO is tuned not to the female flight-tone, but to the frequency difference between the male and female flight-tones. To test the hypothesis that mosquitoes detect this frequency difference, Culex quinquefasciatus males were presented simultaneously with a female flight-tone and a masking tone, which should suppress the male's RFM response to sound. The free-flight behavioural and in vivo electrophysiological experiments revealed that acoustic masking suppresses the RFM response to the female's flight-tones by attenuating the DPs generated in the nonlinear vibration of the antennae. These findings provide direct evidence in support of the hypothesis that male mosquitoes detect females when both are in flight through difference tones generated in the vibrations of their antennae owing to the interaction between their own flight-tones and those of a female.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M V Simões
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - R Ingham
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - G Gibson
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - I J Russell
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
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28
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Albert JT, Kozlov AS. Comparative Aspects of Hearing in Vertebrates and Insects with Antennal Ears. Curr Biol 2017; 26:R1050-R1061. [PMID: 27780047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of hearing in terrestrial animals has resulted in remarkable adaptations enabling exquisitely sensitive sound detection by the ear and sophisticated sound analysis by the brain. In this review, we examine several such characteristics, using examples from insects and vertebrates. We focus on two strong and interdependent forces that have been shaping the auditory systems across taxa: the physical environment of auditory transducers on the small, subcellular scale, and the sensory-ecological environment within which hearing happens, on a larger, evolutionary scale. We briefly discuss acoustical feature selectivity and invariance in the central auditory system, highlighting a major difference between insects and vertebrates as well as a major similarity. Through such comparisons within a sensory ecological framework, we aim to emphasize general principles underlying acute sensitivity to airborne sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joerg T Albert
- UCL Ear Institute, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK.
| | - Andrei S Kozlov
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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29
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30
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Villarreal SM, Winokur O, Harrington L. The Impact of Temperature and Body Size on Fundamental Flight Tone Variation in the Mosquito Vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): Implications for Acoustic Lures. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1116-1121. [PMID: 28402550 PMCID: PMC5850351 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti (L.) males use female flight tone as a means of mate localization. By playing the sound of a flying female, males can be attracted to a trap to monitor mosquito populations and the progress of transgenic male releases. However, the female flight tone used to attract males needs to be optimized to maximize trap effectiveness. The fundamental frequency of female flight tone could be influenced by both body size and ambient temperature. However, no analysis yet has considered both the effect of body size and temperature on female flight tone of Ae. aegypti. Here, we present results for both these factors by recording the sounds of free-flying and tethered females across multiple temperature environments and with females reared for small, medium, and large body sizes. We demonstrate that female fundamental frequency is highly dependent on the environmental temperature, increasing ∼8-13 Hz with each °C gain. Body size and whether a female was tethered or free-flying did not impact the relationship between frequency and temperature, although further analysis is warranted. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between flight tone and temperature, and will inform the design of male mosquito traps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Villarreal
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (; ; )
- Current Address: Biology Department, Grinnell College, Noyce Science Center, Grinnell, IA 50112
| | - Olivia Winokur
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (; ; )
- Current Address: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, UC Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616
| | - Laura Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (; ; )
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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31
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Simões PMV, Gibson G, Russell IJ. Pre-copula acoustic behaviour of males in the malarial mosquitoes Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae s.s. does not contribute to reproductive isolation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:379-385. [PMID: 28148817 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.149757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We reveal that males of two members of the Anopheles gambiae s.l. species complex, Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae s.s. (hereafter A. gambiae), which are both malaria vectors, perform a stereotypical acoustic behaviour in response to pure tones at frequencies that encompass the frequency range of the female's flight-tones. This behaviour resembles that described for Culex quinquefasciatus and consists of phonotactic flight initiated by a steep increase in wing-beat frequency (WBF) followed by rapid frequency modulation (RFM) of WBF when in close proximity to the sound source. RFM was elicited without acoustic feedback or the presence of a live female, but it appears to be a stereotypic behaviour in the immediate lead up to copula formation. RFM is an independent and different behavioural process from harmonic convergence interactions used by male-female pairs for mate recognition at earlier stages of mating. Acoustic threshold for RFM was used to plot behavioural audiograms from free-flying A coluzzii and A gambiae males. These audiograms were almost identical (minima ∼400 Hz) and encompassed the WBF ranges of A coluzzii (378-601 Hz) and A gambiae (373-590 Hz) females, indicating that males of the two species share similar frequency tuning and range. Furthermore, no differences were found between the two species in their WBFs, RFM behaviour or harmonic convergence ratios. These results indicate that assortative mating between A coluzzii and A gambiae is unlikely to be based on male-specific acoustic behaviours during RFM. The significance of these findings in relation to possible mechanisms for assortative mating is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrício M V Simões
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Gabriella Gibson
- Department of Agriculture, Health and Environment, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
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32
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Bomphrey RJ, Nakata T, Phillips N, Walker SM. Smart wing rotation and trailing-edge vortices enable high frequency mosquito flight. Nature 2017; 544:92-95. [PMID: 28355184 PMCID: PMC5412966 DOI: 10.1038/nature21727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes exhibit unusual wing kinematics; their long, slender wings flap at remarkably high frequencies for their size (>800 Hz)and with lower stroke amplitudes than any other insect group. This shifts weight support away from the translation-dominated, aerodynamic mechanisms used by most insects, as well as by helicopters and aeroplanes, towards poorly understood rotational mechanisms that occur when pitching at the end of each half-stroke. Here we report free-flight mosquito wing kinematics, solve the full Navier-Stokes equations using computational fluid dynamics with overset grids, and validate our results with in vivo flow measurements. We show that, although mosquitoes use familiar separated flow patterns, much of the aerodynamic force that supports their weight is generated in a manner unlike any previously described for a flying animal. There are three key features: leading-edge vortices (a well-known mechanism that appears to be almost ubiquitous in insect flight), trailing-edge vortices caused by a form of wake capture at stroke reversal, and rotational drag. The two new elements are largely independent of the wing velocity, instead relying on rapid changes in the pitch angle (wing rotation) at the end of each half-stroke, and they are therefore relatively immune to the shallow flapping amplitude. Moreover, these mechanisms are particularly well suited to high aspect ratio mosquito wings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bomphrey
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Toshiyuki Nakata
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.,Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 263-8522 Japan
| | - Nathan Phillips
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Simon M Walker
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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33
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Lapshin DN, Vorontsov DD. Frequency organization of the Johnston organ in male mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae). J Exp Biol 2017; 220:3927-3938. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.152017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The Johnston's organs (JO) of mosquitoes are the most complex mechanosensitive organs yet found in insects. Previous findings on behavior of mosquitoes suggest that, together with exceptional sensitivity, their auditory system can discriminate frequencies. Analysis of compound responses of the JO did not provide unambiguous evidence of such discrimination, even less did it help to find its mechanism. Using the feedback stimulation method, we measured the tuning frequencies of the JO sensory neurons. Here we present electrophysiological evidence that male mosquitoes of Culex pipiens possess at least eight groups of auditory neurons which are distinct in their frequency tuning, with individual frequencies ranging from 85 to 470 Hz. Most of the neurons are tuned to 190 – 270 Hz, which corresponds to the difference between a male and a female flight tones. Axons of the JO sensory units propagate graded amplified receptor potentials rather than all-or-none action potentials, are grouped into pairs or triplets and often respond in anti-phase to each other. Some features of the mosquito auditory system suggest an analogy to the retinal mechanisms. Together with our previous findings on frequency tuning in female mosquitoes of different species, this study presents evidence in favor of sophisticated frequency analysis of sound in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry N. Lapshin
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kharkevich Institute), Bolshoy Karetny per. 19, Moscow, 127994, Russia
| | - Dmitry D. Vorontsov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 26, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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34
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Cator LJ, Zanti Z. Size, sounds and sex: interactions between body size and harmonic convergence signals determine mating success in Aedes aegypti. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:622. [PMID: 27906074 PMCID: PMC5133739 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1914-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Several new mosquito control strategies will involve the release of laboratory reared males which will be required to compete with wild males for mates. Currently, the determinants of male mating success remain unclear. The presence of convergence between male and female harmonic flight tone frequencies during a mating attempt have been found to increase male mating success in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Size has also been implicated as a factor in male mating success. Here, we investigated the relationships among body size, harmonic convergence signalling, and mating success. We predicted that harmonic convergence would be an important determinant of mating success and that large individuals would be more likely to converge. Methods We used diet to manipulate male and female body size and then measured acoustic interactions during mating attempts between pairs of different body sizes. Additionally, we used playback experiments to measure the direct effect of size on signalling performance. Results In live pair interactions, harmonic convergence was found to be a significant predictor of copula formation. However, we also found interactions between harmonic convergence behaviour and body size. The probability that a given male successfully formed a copula was a consequence of his size, the size of the female encountered, and whether or not they converged. While convergence appears to be predictive of mating success regardless of size, the positive effect of convergence was modulated by size combinations. In playbacks, adult body size did not affect the probability of harmonic convergence responses. Conclusions Both body size and harmonic convergence signalling were found to be determinants of male mating success. Our results suggest that in addition to measuring convergence ability of mass release lines that the size distribution of released males may need to be adjusted to complement the size distribution of females. We also found that diet amount alone cannot be used to increase male mating success or convergence probability. A clearer understanding of convergence behaviours, their relationship to mating success, and factors influencing convergence ability would provide the groundwork for improving the mating performance of laboratory reared lines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1914-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and Environment, Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK.
| | - Zacharo Zanti
- Department of Life Sciences, Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and Environment, Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK
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35
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Andrés M, Seifert M, Spalthoff C, Warren B, Weiss L, Giraldo D, Winkler M, Pauls S, Göpfert M. Auditory Efferent System Modulates Mosquito Hearing. Curr Biol 2016; 26:2028-2036. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.05.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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