scholarly journals Neuromodulation and Differential Learning Across Mosquito Species

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella H. Wolff ◽  
Chloé Lahondère ◽  
Clément Vinauger ◽  
Jeffrey A. Riffell
Keyword(s):  
Antennal Lobe ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Olfactory Learning ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Host Preferences ◽  
Odor Cues ◽  
Differential Learning ◽  
Insect Learning ◽  
Innervation Patterns

Mosquitoes can learn to change their host-feeding behaviors, such as shifting activity times to avoid bednets or switching from biting animals to biting humans, leading to the transfer of zoonotic diseases. Dopamine is critical for insect learning, but its role in the antennal lobe remains unclear, and it is unknown whether different mosquito species learn the same odor cues. We assayed aversive olfactory learning and dopaminergic brain innervation in four mosquito species with different host preferences and report here that they differentially learn odors salient to their preferred host and innervation patterns vary across species. Using genetically-encoded GCaMP6s Aedes aegypti, we mapped odor-evoked antennal lobe activity and report that glomeruli tuned to “learnable” odors have significantly higher dopaminergic innervation. Changes in dopamine expression in the antennal lobes of diverse invertebrate species may be an evolutionary mechanism to adapt olfactory learning circuitry without changing brain structure and for mosquitoes an ability to adapt to other hosts when their preferred are no longer present.

Host preferences and feeding patterns of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) at Kowanyama, Cape York Peninsula, northern Queensland

1979 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. H. Kay ◽  
P. F. L. Boreham ◽  
G. M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Host Preference ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Feeding Patterns ◽  
Host Preferences ◽  
Resting Sites ◽  
Precipitin Test ◽  
Pulmonary Dirofilariasis ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Cape York ◽  
Blood Meals

AbstractClosely spaced stable traps were used to determine the preferences of mosquitoes for 6 vertebrates at Kowanyama, northern Queensland, on 4 occasions during the wet and dry seasons of 1974–75. A total of 44 626 mosquitoes from 35 taxa was collected and compared with 26 215 specimens of 15 taxa trapped at Charleville, south-west Queensland, in February 1976. Host preference was analysed in detail for 11 species;Anopheles bancroftiiGiles,An. amictusEdw.,An. annulipesWlk.,An. farauti Lav.,An. meraukensisVenhuis,Aedes bancroftianusEdw.,Ae. normanensis(Tayl.),Ae. vittiger(Skuse),Culex annidirostrisSkuse,Cx. quinquefasciatusSay (=fatigansWied.) andMansonia uniformis(Theo.). All species in these experiments, including the important vector of arboviruses,Cx. annulirostris, preferred mammalian baits, especially calf, althoughAn. bancroftiiandCx. quinquefasciatuspreferred man. Blood-meals of 5802 engorged mosquitoes of 21 taxa collected from natural resting sites at Kowanyama village were analysed by the precipitin test. Mammals, particularly dogs, were the most important hosts.Cx. squamosus(Tayl.) andCx. quinquefasciatuswere the only species to feed extensively on birds (75–6 and 28–7%, respectively).Uranotaenia albescensTayl. fed almost entirely on amphibia. No seasonal shifts in feeding ofAn. bancroftii, An. annulipes, Cx. annulirostrisorCx. quinquefasciatuswere evident from either host-preference or host-feeding patterns, the latter being evaluated using a ‘ Feeding Index ’. These results are discussed in relation to the transmission of arboviruses, particularly Murray Valley encephalitis virus and pulmonary dirofilariasis of man and dogs in Australia.

scholarly journals Feeding preferences of Oxpeckers in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mduduzi Ndlovu ◽  
Leigh Combrink
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Host Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Feeding Preferences ◽  
Tick Feeding ◽  
Host Preferences ◽  
Body Location ◽  
Feeding Behaviours

Oxpeckers reduce tick loads on ungulate hosts, but they are also known to feed on and exacerbate wounds. An understanding of the feeding behaviours and host preferences of these birds is important since they serve as agents of tick control on both domestic and wild ungulates. We conducted an observational study at two sites within the Kruger National Park in South Africa, exploring the feeding preferences of both Red-billed and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers. Oxpeckers’ host preferences, body-location preferences on different hosts, prevalence of feeding and non-feeding behaviours, and frequency of tolerance versus rejection in different hosts were determined. It was found that Yellow-billed Oxpeckers had a smaller range of hosts – typically larger-sized ungulates – and that Red-billed Oxpeckers diversify to smallersized ungulate hosts when in competition with Yellow-billed Oxpeckers. Body-location preferences were generally consistent across sites and across host species. Tick feeding and other host-feeding behaviours (around the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and anogenital areas) were fairly common. Only six incidents of wound feeding, from a total of 855 observations, were recorded. Tolerance by an ungulate host species was not related to Oxpeckers’ host preferences, suggesting that other factors such as ungulate body size, tick species and tick stages on the host animal may play a significant role in the feeding preferences of Oxpeckers.Conservation implications: It is important to study Oxpeckers’ behavioural feeding preferences so as to better understand their ecology and present distribution, and to determine where they can be reintroduced in future. Reintroduction not only helps with the proliferation of Oxpeckers, but also benefits ungulate hosts through ectoparasite removal and the subsequent control of tick-borne diseases.

Surveillance of Culicine Mosquitoes in Six Villages of Taita-Taveta County, Kenya, With Host Determinations From Blood-Fed Females

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 1972-1982
Author(s):  
Vanessa Munyao ◽  
Jonathan Karisa ◽  
Carol Munini Munyao ◽  
Moses Ngari ◽  
Nelson Menza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Coastal Kenya ◽  
Outdoor Environments ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor Environments

Abstract Culicine mosquitoes are vectors of human disease-causing pathogens like filarial worms and several arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Currently, there has been an increase in emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases along coastal Kenya, which has been of major concern in public health. This study aimed at determining culicine mosquito species abundance, diversity and their host feeding preferences in Taita-Taveta County, Coastal Kenya. Entomological sampling was done during the long-wet season (March and May) and long dry season (June to October) 2016–2018. Mosquito sampling was done using CDC light traps and Backpack aspiration for indoor and outdoor environments. All culicine mosquitoes collected were identified morphologically and categorized according to their physiological status. Blood fed culicine mosquitoes were tested for bloodmeal sources using ELISA. In total, 3,278 culicine mosquitoes were collected, of which 738 (22.5 %) were found indoors and 2,540, (77.5 %) outdoors. The mosquitoes consisted of 18 species belonging to four genera: Aedes (7), Culex (8), Mansonia (2), and Coquillettidia (1). Overall, there was high mosquito species diversity (H) in outdoors (H = 2.4339) than in indoors (H = 2.2523), whereas even distribution (EH) was higher in indoors (EH = 0.9064) than outdoors (EH = 0.8266). Majorly the bloodmeals identified were from multiple host sources with (51.6%), single hosts (41.3%), and unidentified (7.2%). This study has demonstrated a high diversity of culicine mosquitoes with relaxed feeding tendencies. These mosquitoes are contributing to mosquito biting nuisance and the likelihood of exposure of populations to diseases of public health.

Blocking and the detection of odor components in blends

2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (18) ◽  
pp. 2797-2806 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.S. Hosler ◽  
B.H. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Alternative Model ◽  
Antennal Lobe ◽  
Blocking Effect ◽  
Recent Model ◽  
Olfactory Learning ◽  
Perceptual Similarity ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Compound Stimuli ◽  
Good Agreement

Recent studies of olfactory blocking have revealed that binary odorant mixtures are not always processed as though they give rise to mixture-unique configural properties. When animals are conditioned to one odorant (A) and then conditioned to a mixture of that odorant with a second (X), the ability to learn or express the association of X with reinforcement appears to be reduced relative to animals that were not preconditioned to A. A recent model of odor-based response patterns in the insect antennal lobe predicts that the strength of the blocking effect will be related to the perceptual similarity between the two odorants, i.e. greater similarity should increase the blocking effect. Here, we test that model in the honeybee Apis mellifera by first establishing a generalization matrix for three odorants and then testing for blocking between all possible combinations of them. We confirm earlier findings demonstrating the occurrence of the blocking effect in olfactory learning of compound stimuli. We show that the occurrence and the strength of the blocking effect depend on the odorants used in the experiment. In addition, we find very good agreement between our results and the model, and less agreement between our results and an alternative model recently proposed to explain the effect.

scholarly journals Can malaria parasites manipulate the odour-mediated host preference of their mosquito vectors?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuong L. Nguyen ◽  
Amélie Vantaux ◽  
Domonbabele FdS Hien ◽  
Kounbobr R. Dabiré ◽  
Bienvenue K. Yameogo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Host Choice ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Parasite Transmission ◽  
Mosquito Vectors ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Malaria Parasites ◽  
Activation Rate ◽  
Human Odour ◽  
Feeding Behaviours

AbstractMalaria parasites can manipulate mosquito feeding behaviours such as motivation and avidity to feed on vertebrate hosts in ways that increase parasite transmission. However, in natural conditions, not all vertebrate blood-sources are suitable hosts for the parasite. Whether malaria parasites can manipulate mosquito host choice in ways that enhance parasite transmission toward suitable hosts and/or reduce mosquito attraction to unsuitable hosts (i.e. specific manipulation) is unknown. To address this question, we experimentally infected three species of mosquito vectors (Anopheles coluzzii, Anopheles gambiae, and Anopheles arabiensis) with wild isolates of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, and examined the effects of immature (oocyst) and mature (sporozoite) infections on mosquito behavioural responses (activation rate and odour choice) to combinations of calf odour, human odour and outdoor air using a dual-port olfactometer. Regardless of parasite developmental stage and mosquito species, P. falciparum infection did not alter mosquito activation rate or their choice for human odours. The overall expression pattern of host choice of all three mosquito species was consistent with a high degree of anthropophily, with both infected and uninfected individuals showing higher attraction toward human odour over calf odour, human odour over outdoor air, and outdoor air over calf odour. Our results suggests that, in this system, the parasite may not be able to manipulate the early long-range behavioural steps involved in the mosquito host-feeding process, including initiation of host-seeking and host orientation. Future studies examining mosquito host-feeding behaviours at a shorter range (i.e. the “at-host” foraging activities) are required to test whether malaria parasites can modify their mosquito host choice to enhance transmission toward suitable hosts and/or reduce biting on unsuitable hosts.

Learning in Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): a new look at the behaviour and control of a polyphagous pest

1999 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Cunningham ◽  
M.P. Zalucki ◽  
S.A. West
Keyword(s):  
Helicoverpa Armigera ◽  
Host Selection ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Host Preferences ◽  
Trap Crops ◽  
Insect Learning ◽  
Helicoverpa Armígera

AbstractRecent experimental evidence has shown that learning occurs in the host selection behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), one of the world‘s most important agricultural pests. This paper discusses how the occurrence of learning changes our understanding of the host selection behaviour of this polyphagous moth. Host preferences determined from previous laboratory studies may be vastly different from preferences exhibited by moths in the field, where the abundance of particular hosts may be more likely to determine host preference. In support of this prediction, a number of field studies have shown that the ‘attractiveness’ of different hosts for H. armigera oviposition may depend on the relative abundance of these host species. Insect learning may play a fundamental role in the design and application of present and future integrated pest management strategies such as the use of host volatiles, trap crops and resistant crop varieties for monitoring and controlling this important pest species.

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